History of the Far East Buddhism came to Japan in the sixth century AD, it was the world's first religion since it originated in India and developed in China. Japanese culture was undeveloped, there was no real literature, or historical records and laws, also the arts and sciences were almost totally undeveloped ( de Bary, 255 ). Buddhism radically changed the religious life of Japanese people, Japan's earlier religions were centered around nature, and never faced issues such as sin, death , instead Buddhism viewed life as being filled with inevitable suffering. What set Buddhism from all other religions in Japan was its vast literature, its use of painting and sculpture to