Abstract
Shintoism has been mixed with Buddhism, and on the other hand quarantined from Buddhism. This coexistance of mixture and isolation is the most striking characteristic phenomenon of Japanese syncretism. This situation was established along with the process to form jingi worship by the ancient Japanese government. When Buddhism was first brought into Japan, it was accepted as representing foreign gods, which were worshiped the same way as the Japanese gods in the Tumulus period ; that is, entrusting the worship of certain gods to a particular lineage, and by building poles. Jingi worship was formed after Tomb-rituals had been discontinued, and at that time the government had already accepted Buddhism. Therefore Shintoism originally was in a position superior to that of Buddhism, and not mixed with it completely.
