Buddhism reaches Japan

Name: Buddhism reaches Japan
Start: 0538
Location: Asuka, Yamato

c. 538 · Asuka, Yamato · Asia · Culture

Korea's Baekje sends a Buddha statue to the Yamato court

Buddhism reaches Japan — Wikimedia Commons

King Seong of Baekje in Korea sent a Buddha statue and sutras to the Yamato court — in 538 by some sources, in 552 by the Nihon Shoki. The new faith became a battleground for noble clans: the Soga backed it, the Mononobe opposed it. After the Soga won in 587, Buddhism under Prince Shōtoku became a pillar of the state.

State: Asuka Japan

Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 6th century

Meanwhile around the world (±25 years)

Europe

536 Volcanic winter of 536 — 2 years earlier
537 Hagia Sophia consecrated — 1 year earlier
541–549 Plague of Justinian — 3 years later

Middle East

529–534 Code of Justinian — 9 years earlier

Alive at the time

Justinian I (aged 56)
Aryabhata (aged 62)
Theodora (aged 38)
Khosrow I (aged 37)