During the Kamakura period in medieval Japan, Zen Buddhism was introduced and gained widespread popularity. Zen Buddhism taught that anyone could reach enlightenment through perfect concentration and understanding of the religion. This influenced Japanese culture, where complete awareness and mindfulness became important values. The arts flourished during this time, with influences from Chinese literature and poetry genres like tanka. Women of the aristocratic class learned to read and write and made important contributions to Japanese literature. Throughout the medieval period, Japan was influenced by its neighbors like China and Korea due to trade and its strategic geographic location among these regions.