I am engaged in research on ancient Japanese history, with ancient temples being a particular recent interest. In the two to three-hundred years after the arrival of Buddhism in Japan, society in archipelago underwent an enormous change: Buddhist temples were constructed, religious associations were established in villages, and imperial authority became more reliant on Buddhism. I am engaged in tracing the history of such changes through examining historical documents, cultural property, and archeological remains. I feel that my work is indispensable in understanding fundamental aspects of Japanese culture.