The Meiji Government issued the edict of Separation of Shinto and Buddhism by Dajokan (Grand Council of state) in March 1868, and the Imperial Edict for Establishment of Shinto in 1870, although they did not intend to exclude Buddhism, Shinto priests who were oppressed by the priests attached to Jingu-ji Temple abusively destroyed Buddha statues and Buddhist objects, and the people who felt being exploited by the temple under the danka (parishioner) system joined the movement then it led to the Haibutsu-kishaku Movement in various places.
明治政府が明治元年（1868年）3月に発した太政官布告神仏分離令や明治3年（1870年）の大教宣布などの法令は、仏教排斥を意図したものではなかったが仏像・仏具の廃棄を神宮寺の社僧に抑圧されていた神職が暴力的に行い、檀家制度のもとで、寺院に搾取されていると感じる民衆がこれに加わり、各地に廃仏毀釈運動が起きた。