Online dictionary of geography and travels in Japan: temple

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Byodoin temple

平等院
alternative words: Byodoin, Byodo in, Byoudouin temple, Byoudouin, Byoudou in
keywords: kyoto , temple , world heritage
related topics: Kyoto prefecture
related web sites: http://www.byodoin.or.jp
explanation: Located in the south of Kyoto prefecture at Uji city, Byodoin had been first served as a private villa of Fujiwara Michinaga then transformed by his son, Yorimichi, to a Buddhist temple in 1052. The main building commonly called "Phenix hall" extending its side structure and reflecting its image on a pond is really pictorial. The statue of Amida nyorai, inside the hall is a typical Buddhist sculpture of Heiand period. The picture of Byodoin appears on the backside of 10 yen coin.

Chusonji temple

中尊寺
alternative words: Chuson temple, Chuson ji, Chusonji, Hiraizumi temple
keywords: temple , tohoku
related topics: Iwate prefecture
related web sites: http://www.chusonji.or.jp , http://www.town.hiraizumi.iwate.jp , http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~frst/JAiwate-m5.html , http://202.214.108.90/iwate21/cgi/index.php3
explanation: Located in the south of Iwate prefecture at Hiraizumi, Chusonji had been a gorgeous Buddhist temple patronized by Oshu Fujiwara family in 12th century. Once Oshu Fujiwara eliminated by Minamoto no Yoritomo, Chusonji declined and most of the buildings were burned out in 1337 excepting for Konjikido (Golden colored hall) who still keeps 3 mummies of Fujiwara. Covered with gold leaves, ivory and rare shells, you can imagine the greatness of the old times.

Enryakuji Temple

延暦寺
alternative words: Enryaku-ji Temple, Hieizan Enryakuji Temple, Hiezan Enryakuji Temple, Hieizan Enryakuji, Hiezan Enryakuji
keywords: temple
related topics: Shiga Prefecture
related web sites: http://www.hieizan.or.jp
explanation: One of the most influent Buddhist temples, located in Shiga Prefecture, on the hill between Lake Biwa and Kyoto City. It was built by Saicho in 785 and became the central temple of Tendai School. During the Middle Ages, the temple had been so powerful that it fought several times against the central power. Furious, a war lord, Nobunaga burned out completely all the buildings in 1571 and restored by Hideyoshi in 1584 but lost the political power.

Ginkakuji Temple

銀閣寺慈照寺
alternative words: Ginkaku-ji Temple, Ginkaku Temple, Ginkakuji, Ginkaku-ji, Jishoji Temple, Jisho Temple, Jishoji, Jisho-ji, Silver Pavilion
keywords: garden , kyoto , temple , world heritage
related topics: Kyoto City , Kinkakuji Temple
related web sites: http://www.shokoku-ji.or.jp/ginkakuji/ , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/kyoto.htm
explanation: Ginkakuji Temple, located in the eastern hill of Kyoto city, has been built by the 9th Shogun of Muromachi, Ashikaga Yoshimasa at the end of 15th century. He was incompetent as politician, but loving the arts of tee ceremony and gardens, he is considered as one of the best protectors of the art of that period. Contrary to Kinkakuji Temple which deserves the name of "Golden Pavilion", Ginkakuji is not covered by silver leaves because of an influence of "Zen".

Great Buddha of Kamakura

鎌倉大仏
alternative words: Kamakura Daibutsu, Buddha of Kamakura, Buddha statue of Kamakura, Daibutsu
keywords: kanagawa , temple
related topics: Kamakura City , Great Buddha of Nara
related web sites: http://www.enoden.co.jp , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/kamakur.htm
explanation: The Great Buddha of Kamakura which is cited with that of Nara is located at Koutoku-in in Hase District of Kamakura City. Its official name is Kondo-Amida-Nyorai-Zo, and it is a copper statue of 11.5m high and 124 tons weight. Well known as a symbol of Kamakura, it is always crowded by pilgrims. Basically Unkei style with a flavor of Chinese Song style, it is a typical art of Kamakura Region at that period.

Great Buddha of Nara

奈良大仏
alternative words: Great Buddha, Nara buddha, Daibutsu, Nara daibutsu
keywords: nara , temple
related topics: Nara City , Todaiji Temple , Great Buddha of Kamakura
related web sites: http://www.todaiji.or.jp , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/nara.htm
explanation: Being a huge foundry statue with 15m high, the official name of the great Buddha of Todaiji Temple is Rushanabutsu (national treasure). It was built by Kuninaka Kimimaro and others as a national enterprise and its opening ceremony took place in the 4th year of Tenpyoshoho era (752).

Horyuji Temple

法隆寺
alternative words: Horyu-ji Temple, Horyu Temple, Horyuji, Horyu-ji, Horyu ji, Temple Horyu, Houryuuji temple, Houryuuji
keywords: nara , temple , world heritage
related topics: Nara Prefecture
related web sites: http://www.horyuji.or.jp , http://www.mahoroba.ne.jp/~3e/horyuji.html , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/horyuji.htm
explanation: Horyuji Temple is located in the fief of Prince Shotoku, Land of Ikaruga: there, you can see a range of the oldest wooden buildings of the world such as Kondo and Gojuno-to (five-storied pagoda). Moreover inside buildings, there exist a plenty of valuable art works and it is considered as one of the most important temples of the Japanese culture. It has been chosen as a human heritage of UNESCO in 1993.

Kinkakuji Temple

金閣寺鹿苑寺
alternative words: Kinkaku-ji temple, Kinkaku temple, Kinkakuji, Kinkaku-ji, Rokuonji temple, Rokuon temple, Rokuonji, Rokuon-ji, Golden Pavilion
keywords: garden , kyoto , temple , world heritage
related topics: Kyoto City , Ginkakuji Temple
related web sites: http://www.shokoku-ji.or.jp/kinkakuji/ , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/kinkaku.htm
explanation: Kinkakuji Temple is a strange building: it serves as a residence as well as a Buddhist temple. In 1397, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu of the Muromachi Shogunate founded it as a hill-side cottage. In 1419, After his death, a son transformed it to a Zen temple and renamed it Rokuon-ji from Yoshimitsu's religious name. In 1950, it has been burned completely by an arson and has been restored since then.

Kiyomizudera temple

清水寺
alternative words: Kiyomizu temple, Kiyomizudera, Kiyomizu dera, Seisuiji, Seisui ji
keywords: kyoto , temple , world heritage
related topics: Kyoto city , Yasaka shrine
related web sites: http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp
explanation: Buddhist temple located in the east of Kyoto city near Yasaka shrine. Though its origin is quite old (according to a temple's document, it would be built by a famous Japanese general, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro in 798), because of repeated natural disasters and wars of sect struggles, the actual building dates only 17the century. Kiyomizudera is rather renown by its strange architecture: being built on an abrupt hill side, it owns a balustrade supported by several long columns.

Kofukuji temple

興福寺
alternative words: Kofuku temple, Kofukuji, Kofuku ji
keywords: nara , temple
related topics: Nara city , Todaiji temple
related web sites: http://www.kohfukuji.com
explanation: With Todaiji, Kofukuji is one of the most prestigious temples in Nara and belongs together to a human heritage selected by Unesco. Built in 669, it had developed quickly as the family temple of Fujiwara clan (ujidera) and owned many warrior monks to oppose the central government. For that reason, the most of buildings were burned down by Taira clan in 1180 but they were restored during Kamakura period. Its treasure house contains invaluable sculptures of this period.

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