Buddhism in Japan is customary to clean the graves and to hold family reunions. Buddhism in Japan Buddhism in Japan has been practiced since its official introduction in 552 CE according to the "Nihon Shoki" from Baekje, Korea, by Buddhist monks. Buddhism has had a major influence on the development of Japanese society and remains an influential aspect of the culture to this day. In modern times, Japan's most popular schools of Buddhism are Pure Land Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhism, Shingon Buddhism and Zen. As of 2008, approximately 34% of the Japanese identify as Buddhists and the number has been growing since the 1980s,
Buddhism in Japan during the Edo period, through the Danka or "terauke" system. In this, Japanese citizens were required to register at their local Buddhist temples and obtain a certification ("terauke"), which became necessary to function in society. At first, this system was put into place to suppress Christianity, but over time it took on the larger role of census and population control. In Japan, Buddhist art started to develop as the country converted to Buddhism in 548. Some tiles from the Asuka period (shown above), the first period following the conversion of the country to Buddhism, display a strikingly classical style, with