The main religion used to be Hinduism and Buddhism. With the arrival of Islam, Hinduism was gradually pushed out in the 14th and 15th century. The last nobles and remainders of the fallen empire of Majapahit fled from this point to Bali. This comes from earlier history, when Islam spread from northern cities in Java where many traders from Gujarat, India visited, bringing Islam. The eastern part of East Java, from Surabaya to Pasuruan, then following various cities along the coast line, and turning back in Banyuwangi to Jember, is well known as the "horseshoe area" in context with earlier Muslim communities living there.
Nevertheless, pockets of Hinduism have survived and abangan, the syncretic religion of Islam, Hinduism and Animism, remains strong. See Hinduism in Java for more information.
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