What is the significance of the spread of Buddhism in Japan?

The most significant aspect of the spread of Buddhism in Japan is that it was, as it has shown, a most effective medium for the spread of Chinese culture, especially art, architecture and literature. Temples and shrines were built, Buddhist paintings and statues appeared, and Buddhist classics accumulated. Buddhist believers among the aristocracy often traveled to China to study, and returned with refined gestures after their eyes had been opened. The indigenous Japanese faith, which at this time came to be known as "Shinto," was not eradicated, but it was apparently greatly influenced by its contact with Buddhism. There was little confrontation between the two religions. Buddhism in Japan was colored by national traditions, and both faiths considered the same shrines to be sacred. Japanese monks, both Buddhist and Shinto, like their Chinese counterparts, did not establish a monastic politics of harsh domination over the people, although the Buddhist monasteries were economically important because of their acquisition of large tracts of land.