ShintoShinto is the aboriginal spirituality followed by the Japanese people. In the 8th century, Shinto practices were first archived in codified historical documents of the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki. Shinto today is a term related to community shrines combined with various human ceremonies such as historical memorials, weddings, harvest festivals, and worship. People who practice Shinto express their various values ​​with a standard way of communication and activity, implementing similar dress codes and ancient rituals. There are two main branches of Buddhism and Mahayana is one of them. The term Mahayana means great vehicle. The origin of Mahayana Buddhism is India (Mason & Caiger 98). Of the two major Buddhist traditions existing today, Mahayana is the larger. Mahayana traditions teach that tradition is a path of seeking, for absolute enlightenment for the benefit of all mortal beings. Mahayana is also called Bodhisattvayana (Mason & Caiger 98). The history of Mahayana shows the spread of the tradition from India to other Asian countries. The traditions of Mahayana Buddhism still exist today. The Heian period is a historical period in Japanese history, occurring between the years 794 and 1185. During this time, Buddhism, Taioism, and other Chinese traditions were at their peak (Morton & Olenik 23). The Heian period takes its name from the capital Heian-kvo, the modern city of Kyoto. It was also the height of the Japanese imperial court. The period is known for its literature, art, and poetry (Morton & Olenik 23). During this period, the imperial house had power, although real power was held by the noble Fujiwara clan who had intermarried with the Japanese emperor. In Japanese, the term Heian means peace and tranquility. The founding of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan came after the then ruling Taira clan was defeated in the Genpei War. The Kamakura shogunate was led by shoguns (Mason & Caiger 158). Shoguns were hereditary military dictators of Japan. The shogunate was based in Kamakura and controlled the entire nation. Court Life in Heian Japan The Heian period saw the Fujiwara clan hold true power. The Fujiwala clan was noble and therefore had a great influence on politics and culture in Japan (Mason & Caiger 249). The life of noble families was centered on good manners and beauty guided by a powerful civil code called miyabi. At the Kyoto court, etiquette, appearance and self-discipline were emphasized (Mason & Caiger 106).