Emperor Kinmei
According to the "Nihon Shoki", Emperor Kinmei received a bronze statue of [[Gautama Buddha]] as a gift from the king of [[Baekje]] King [[Seong of Baekje|Song Myong]] (聖明王, "Seimei Ō") along with a significant envoy of artisans, monks, and other artifacts in 552. (However, according to the [[Jōgū Shōtoku Hōō Teisetsu]], Buddhism was introduced in 538.) This episode is widely regarded as the official introduction of Buddhism to the country.