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In ancient times, the indigenous people of Japan were of the same ethnicity, spoke the *Afro-Asiatic language *Japonic, and practiced *shamanism and *ancestor worship. The ethnicity during a certain period in Japan ended about 300 BCE, was *Jomon. The specific language that they spoke was Japonic. The indigenous peoples of far northern Europe and Siberia practice a religion centered on the *Shamans, who have a deep awareness of the afterlife. -
Near the end of the third century CE, Confucianism was shown to Japan when Korea sent *Confucian Analects to the court of Emperor Ōjin which impacted Japanese thoughts and influenced Japanese religion. It is possible that global emigrants aware of Confucian teachings came to Japan close to the introduction of Confucianism which also influenced people. Teachings were accomplished in 573–621. In the 1590s after Korea attacked, there were new texts from the Confucian practices that affected Japan. -
Korean and Chinese *missionaries spread Buddhism throughout Japan around the 6th century CE. The Buddhists traveled on the *Silk Road preaching about their religion with merchant caravans. Before Buddhism, *Shintoism (the religion of Japanese people) was the only religion in Japan. Some of the *Shinto shrines (a structure, to house one or more kami) were changed into Buddhist temples. Now that Japan was influenced by Buddhism, it is one of the main religions in Japan. -
Today Japan has numerous amount of Asian ethnic groups, two most spoken languages, and two major religions. *Japanese is the main ethnic group by 98.1%. Most of Japan speaks Japanese or *Nihongo( Another word for Japanese in Japanese) which belongs to the Japonic language family. *Shinto, (a Japanese religion that dates back to the early eighth century and includes ancestor and natural spirits worship) and *Buddhism is the main religion in Japan. Christianity coexists in Japan with Confucianism. -
In Japan, many of the other religions and languages are a minority to Japanese people due to Japan not being open to any other cultures. Christianity, Confucianism, and Taisom are all religions in Japan but are very minor because Japanese is 98.1%. Most of the religions in Japan consist of Shinto and Buddism and Shinto was already there when Buddism became a religion in Japan.