神社是日人產物，為了貫徹「皇民化」政策，宣揚帝國主義意象，日本於Ⅱ戰前後在臺灣大肆興建神社。因「國家神道」色彩過於濃烈，使之蒙上「軍國主義」武力亰略陰影。戰後，在國族意識沸騰下，近二百座的日本神社，輕則變造，重則慘遭政令拆毁或恣意破壞。今遺跡稍完整者，僅桃園神社（今名「桃園忠烈祠」）一處，堪稱碩果僅存。神社建築心繫於傳統，雖是神道亯仰，然其建築風格樣式，無一不受佛教與中國文化影響。日本於奈良（8世紀）、帄孜朝（8-12世紀）全陎唐化，透過律令，神道亯仰法制化，永成定制並世代相承。歷經時代變遷，建築細部意匠逐漸日本化，文化臻於變容。唐風建築與日本傳統融合為「和樣」，與繼受自南宋之「唐樣」（禪宗樣）風格有別。唐建築是中國傳統木構建築物中之經典，也是東亞諸國古建築之祖型。然唐木構建築真蹟，竟舉世無幾。幸賴日本古佛孝與神社傳承唐朝建築樣式，唐文化意象亦不斷透過神社傳統延續至今。臺灣一地僅桃園神社遺跡可一窺盛唐建築文化風采，尤顯得足彌珍貴。

Jinja, Shinto Shrine, is a creation of the Japanese. Japan government launched Jinja construction projects everywhere in Taiwan before and during World War II to serve the purposes of promoting her imperialism image through the Kohminka (Japanization) policy. However the Jinja popularity cast a long shadow of aggression under militarism thanks to the strong national shintoism features of every jinja architecture in Taiwan. After World War II, the circa 200 Jinja architectures in Taiwan hardly survived the setback ranging from minor alteration to deliberate destruction due to the rise of racial awareness, consequently only legacy of Toh-En Jinja shrine, currently known as ―Taoyuan Martyrs Shrine", has remained in shape by and large and proved to be the only legacy of its kind. Jinja shrine architecture has been strongly tradition oriented thus, while being built for Shinto religion and rituals, it has been influenced by Buddhism and Chinese culture in terms of the architectural style. For a long term, from Nara Period (8th century) to Heian Period (8th to 12th centuries), Japan reigns implemented adoption of the culture of Tang Dynasty, Shinto as national religion and Shinto shrines as buildings and facilities for kami worship were gradually established through rituryo (codes) and implementation of the Kami Rite (legal codes for religion), and became heritage. As time went by, jinja architecture grew Japan culture centered in every detail and adaption took place in the loan culture as well, during then the "Wayoh – literally Japan style" architecture took form through integration of Tang style architecture and Japanese tradition and differed from the "Karayoh – literally Tang Style" (also as Zenjuyoh – literally Zen Style) architectures adopted from South Sung Dynasty of Mainland. Among others the Tang style architectures set the classic models for Chinese traditional wood structure buildings and served as prototype for ancient architectures found in Eastern Asian counties. However, nowadays the very legacy of the wood structure buildings of Tang style survives only a few throughout the world. Thanks to Japan’s ancient Buddhism Temples and Jinja Shinto shrines preserving and passing down the architecture style of Tang Dynasty, the Tang culture image survives and sustains through the traditional heritage of Jinja, Shinto shrine. On top of that, Toh-En Jinja, the Shinto shrine architecture, surviving and serving as the only single legacy site in Taiwan as window for looking into the key elements of Tang cultural heritage, deserves respect and preservation efforts.