Buddhism in Japan has been practiced since at least 552, though some Chinese sources place the first spreading of the religion earlier during the Kofun period (250 to 538). Buddhism has had a major influence on the culture and development of Japan over the centuries.[1]
About 85 million people in Japan, accounting for 2/3 of the population, are affiliated with Buddhism in some way, often nominally - in various surveys, 70-85% of Japanese profess no religious membership or personal religion.[2][3][4][5] Most Japanese Buddhists are also similarly affiliated with Shinto, as neither of the two religions demand exclusivity.
In modern times, Japan's most popular schools of Buddhism are Pure Land Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhism, Shingon Buddhism and Zen Buddhism.