Later, influenced by Buddhism and Confucianism, Shinto became ideologized. From the nineteenth century it came to be regarded as the national religion of Japan, and the Emperor became deified. However after World War Two the practice of religion was separated from the functions of state, and worship became limited to the shrines in each locality. People go to shrines when a child is born, and marriage ceremonies are also conducted according to Shinto rites. Further, people offer prayers at shrines for success in passing university entrance examinations, and motorists visit shrines to receive charms designed to keep them from harm.
Families go to famous shrines at the beginning of the new year.
Each shrine has its own festival once a year, attended by the people in the area and served by numerous stalls selling a variety of things. Thus, the people have a deep relationship with shrines, but the majority of the Japanese have no interest in the tenets of Shinto, and the influence of the religion on the thought of the Japaneseof today is small. At the beginning of the seventh century the then crown prince Shotoku who was in charge of affairs of state made a deep study of Buddhism, and this served to spread the belief. Up till the twelfth century Buddhism was the religion of the aristocracy only, but from about the thirteenth century it became very popular among the common people. At about this time Zen became widespread among the samurai class.