After jinguji temples had started being built, Shinto Shrines were exposed to the influence of Buddhist architecture; however, having been built side by side, differentiation of shrine and Buddhist architecture from each other became rather desirable.
神宮寺の建立により、神社は仏教建築の直接の影響にさらされたが、隣接するためにかえって神社建築と寺院建築の差異を求めるようになったと考えられる。