According to Google AI,
How many are there?
There are about 165,000 traditional sacred spots across Japan. This includes around 88,000 Shinto shrines and 77,000 Buddhist temples. Surprisingly, Aichi Prefecture has the highest number of them, even more than Kyoto!
When did they start?
- Shinto Shrines (Jinja): Shinto is Japan's native religion based on nature worship. Shrines started as sacred natural spaces in prehistoric times, more than 2,000 years ago.
- Buddhist Temples (Tera): Buddhism came to Japan in the 6th century (around the 550s) from China and Korea. People built temples to house Buddha statues and pray for peace.