OLD JAPANESE HOUSE, YOSHINO

Buddhism is one of the two major religions in Japan, though most Japanese are flexible/tolerant about religions and have practiced elements of both of Buddhism and Shinto (Japan's indigenous religion).   A temple called Seson-ji , stands in Oyodo Town, Yoshino, Nara Prefecture on the site of another temple called Hiso-tera . A set of documentary records materials surviving in the temple illustrates how Buddhism arrived and was accepted in Japan in the sixth century. The materials were digitized with high imaging quality and made accessible to the public. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Buddhism arrived in Japan through China and Korea. Before the "official" introduction of Buddhism in the first half of the sixth century, Buddhists including immigrants from China and Korea would have already been practicing in Japan. The "official" introduction of Buddhism to Japan is dated to 552 according to the Chronicles of Japan when King Seong of Baekje (now western Korea) sent a ...