Hōryū-ji

Introducing Hōryū-ji

This temple (75-2555; admission ¥1000; 8am-4pm) was founded in 607 by Prince Shōtoku, considered by many to be the patron saint of Japanese Buddhism. Legend has it that Shōtoku, moments after birth, stood up and started praying. Hōryū-ji is renowned not only as the oldest temple in Japan but also as a repository for some of the country’s rarest treasures. Several of the temple’s wooden buildings have survived earthquakes and fires to become the oldest of their kind in the world.

The temple is divided into two parts, Sai-in (West Temple) and Tō-in (East Temple). The entrance ticket allows admission to Sai-in, Tō-in and the Great Treasure Hall. A detailed map is provided and a guidebook is available in English and several other languages.

The main approach to the temple proceeds from the south along a tree-lined avenue and continues through the Nandai-mon and Chū-mon before entering the Sai-in precinct. As you enter this precinct, you’ll see the Kondō (Main Hall) on your right and a pagoda on your left.

The Kondō houses several treasures, including the triad of the Buddha Sakyamuni, with two attendant Bodhisattvas. Though it is one of Japan’s great Buddhist treasures, it’s dimly lit and barely visible – you will need a flashlight to see it. Likewise, the pagoda contains clay images depicting scenes from the life of Buddha that are barely visible without a flashlight.

On the eastern side of Sai-in are the two concrete buildings of the Daihōzō-den (Great Treasure Hall), containing numerous treasures from Hōryū-ji’s long history.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009