A traditional Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan

The island nation of Japan has enjoyed a level of isolation and protection for most of its existence. The Japanese were close enough to mainland Asia to be influenced by others, but far enough away to be reasonably safe from invasions. Buddhism, a system of writing, and the pagoda-style of architecture all came to Japan as influences from China, while Shinto originated in and has remained a religion that is ethnically unique to Japan.