Shinto Torii Gate.

Zen and Shinto are both religions with a long history and significant influence in Japan. Shinto is a system of nature worship with prehistoric roots in that country, and its traditions are interwoven with Japanese life at a basic, almost primordial, level. Zen, on the other hand, is a branch of Buddhism that came to Japan via China in the 12th century. In feudal Japan, it was practiced mostly by the nobility and military classes.