god of Japan exist to follow buddha

From the time of the dynasty of more than a thousand years ago，there was no distinction between Buddha and God of Japan.

The two had been faith as one for a long time.

But after the Meiji Restoration in 1868，this two had been separated.
God of Japan called"shinto"， had became only state religion.
And Buddhism had been crackdown.　
　
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Before 40 years of gold discovery，copper was discovered on near Tokyo（on now） in 708 AD.

”This discovery is thanks to the God of ours.”

Aristocracy everyone was saying so.
The presence of the Buddha was not there yet.

But event to change that trend was happend in 737 AD.
Smallpox outbreak in that year，many powerful aristocracy had died at that time.

”We prayed to God but do not anything.”

Dissatisfaction had been expressed blatantly against their God.
However, the sentence in this case，God had been write as "our God and the Buddha".
Accent of ”God” was still their God.
 
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In 740 AD，Great revolt occurred in Kyushu of west Island of Japan.
Aristocracy prayed for the victory to gods powerful of their.　
（Japan god isn't one.）
At the same time，there were made ​​a statue of Buddha in various parts of Japan to pray for victory.
Two positions had been antagonistic  finally around here?
　
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After the suppression of revolt.
　
”This is thanks to God by prayed.”

There was recognition in aristocratic，they dedicated the goods of thanks to God of them.
However，It was a Buddhist scriptures.
And they built a tower of Buddhism to the location where they worshiped God.
Of course，in sense of gratitude.

Beginning of the syncretism of their God and Buddha?

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In 749 AD，the discovery of gold in Japan.
　
At the time，Japan had making ​​Big Buddha called "Daibutu" as a national project.
Therefore needed a large amount of gold.
Gold was dependent on imports until then.
　
”Gold is discovered thanks to the Buddha.”
”I am a servant of the Buddha.”　
　
Emperor expressed the joy like that.
　
"God of Japan exist to follow Buddha"
　
That thought had spread in earnest from this time.　

　
Tōdai-ji （Daibutu in there）
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Ddai-ji