LOL I HOPE NOT? But if they told the general public "this is a sacred item you can't see it" they'd just be like, yeah alright. So they don't even need to lie about it that much, roflmao.

...and it's in a cave with a covered entrance. /more facepalming. I could do an entire essay on Shinto's influence on Buddhism in Japan but I will spare you. xD Suffice to say, they are not separate entities.