Daikakuji

Overview: The site was originally a residence of Emperor Saga (785–842 CE) and then the palace later became his seat of retirement, known as Saga Rikyu imperial villa. After the death of Emperor Saga, his daughter Princess Masako turned the complex into a temple and gave it the name Daikaku-ji. The artificial lake of the temple, Ōsawa Pond, is one of the oldest Japanese garden ponds to survive from the Heian period.

Name: Daikaku-ji
Place: 4 Sagaosawacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto
Admission JPY 500
Foundation: 814
School: Shingon
Principal Image: Five Wisdom Kings
Founded by:Emperor Saga
Festival: Yoi-Kobo (Bon Fire) 20 August, Moon-viewing party (Harvest moon) Mid-September
Flowers: Cherry (sorrouding Osawa pond)

Official website:https://www.daikakuji.or.jp/english/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daikaku-ji

Ninna-ji

Overview: Emperor Uda established this temple in 888, and after retiring from his throne, Emperor Uda, became the first Monzeki, or aristocratic priest, of Ninna-ji. From then on until the end of the Edo period, the temple saw a succession of head priests of imperial lineage. The temple is famous for unique cherry variety, Omuro Sakura which are one of the latest blooming cherries in the whole of Kyoto. Thanks to its short trunk, we can enjoy blossom at eye-level.It is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Name: Ninna-ji
Place:33 Ōuchi Omuro, Ukyō-ku, Kyoto
Admission JPY 800
Foundation: 888
School: Shingon
Principal Image: Amida Nyorai (Amitābha)
Founded by: Emperor Uda
Festival: Flower festival (mid March -beginning May)
Flowers: Cherry, Azarea

Official website: https://ninnaji.jp/en/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninna-ji

Shitennoji temple

Overview: The temple is regarded as one of the first Buddhist and oldest officially-administered temple in Japan, although the temple complex and buildings have been rebuilt over the centuries. Shitenno means “Four Heavenly Kings” who live and guard Cardinal Directions north, south east and west. Prince Shōtoku was known for his profound Buddhist faith when Buddhism was not widespread during the 6th century. In order to popularize Buddhism, Prince Shōtoku lead a massive national project to promote Buddhism and also known as founder of Horyuji temple, the oldest wooden building, in Nara.

Name: Shitenno-ji
Place: 1-1-18 Shitennō-ji, Tennōji-ku, Osaka
Admission JPY 500
Foundation: 593
School: Wa-shū
Principal Image: Kannon (Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva)
Founded by: Prince Shōtoku
Festival: Doyadoya Festival 14 January

Official website: https://www.shitennoji.or.jp/ (Japanese only)

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shitenn%C5%8D-ji

Kiyomizu temple

Overview: The main hall, which together with the wooden stage 13 meters above the hillside below, was built without the use of nails. Temple’s name from the Otowa waterfall, which runs off the nearby Mt. Otowa at the base of main hall. Kiyomizu means clear water, or pure water.This temple was registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

Name: Kiyomizu-dera
Place: 1 Chome-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto
Admission JPY 400
Foundation: 778
School: Kita-Hossō
Principal Image: Kannnon Bodhisattva
Founded by: Sakanoue no Tamuramaro
Festival: Seiryu-e Dragon Festival, 14-15 March, 3 April, 14-15 September

Official website: https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyomizu-dera

Kinkakuji

Overview: Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu purchased a villa from an aristocrat and transformed into a complex centered the Golden Pavilion, three storied pagoda, shariden, with the first floor reminiscent of the residential style imperial aristocracy of the 11th century, the second floor, built in the style of warrior aristocrats and the third floor is built in traditional Chinese zen style typology. After Ashikaga Yoshimitsu’s passed away, the villa was converted into a Zen temple by his son, according to his wishes. The present pavilion was rebuilt 1955 after burned down by a 22-year-old novice monk in 1950, although the original building was maintained by that time. The temple was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

Name: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) (officially named Rokuon-ji)
Place: 1 Kinkakuji-chō, Kita-ku, Kyōto, Kyoto Prefecture
Admission JPY 400
Foundation: 1397
School: Rinzai sect, Shōkoku-ji school
Principal Image: Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokiteśvara)
Founded by: Ashikaga Yoshimitsu

Official website: https://www.shokoku-ji.jp/en/kinkakuji/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinkaku-ji

Nihon-ji

Overview: Nihon-ji is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kyonan, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The temple is located on the acute slopes of Mount Nokogiri having the characteristic sawtoothed profile of a Japanese saw.  The temple is considered to be the sole temple built by order of the emperor in the Nara period in Kanto area. It is famous of two Daibutsu sculptures – a huge seated carving of Yakushi Nyorai that at 31.05 metres tall is the largest pre-modern, stone-carved Daibutsu in Japan and the “Hundred-shaku Kannon (30.3m)”, a tall relief image of Kannon Bodhisattva, Goddess of Mercy, into one of the quarry walls – as well as 1500 hand-carved arhat sculptures.

日本寺　大仏

日本寺

日本寺

日本寺

日本寺

日本寺

日本寺

日本寺

Name: Kenkon zan Nihon-ji
Place: Nokogiriyama, Kyonan, Chiba
Admission JPY 700
Foundation: 725
School: Soto Zen (established as Hossō then transferred to Tendai sect (857) and transferred to Soto Zen (1647)
Principal Image: Yakushi Nyorai, Bhaiṣajyaguru (Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja)
Founded by: Priest Gyoki
Flowers: Narcissus (January), Red spider lily (September)

Official website: http://www.nihonji.jp/index.html (Only Japanese)

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihon-ji

Overview:  This temple is the oldest of the numerous temples in the Yanaka area of Tokyo, and is a temple of the Tendai school, but It was founded in 1274 as of Nichiren school but now as a a branch temple of the then-massive Kan’eiji Templeand now lies on the edge of Yanaka Cemetery. It used be famous of five stories pagoda and held lotteries.

天王寺五重塔

天王寺五重塔

天王寺大仏

天王寺

天王寺

Name: Tennouji (Yanaka) (Gokokusan soncyouin tennouji)
Place: Yanaka 7-14-8, Taitō city, Tokyo
Foundation: 1274
School: Tendai (originally Nichiren)
Principal Image: Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha, Bishamonten (Vaiśravaṇa)
Festival: Visit the Seven Lucky Gods (1-10 January), Reclining party (15 February), Nichiren school (15 May)
Flowers: Cherry Okame variety (March)

Official website: http://www.tendaitokyo.jp/jiinmei/tennoji/ (Japanese only)

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenn%C5%8D-ji_(Tait%C5%8D)

Overview: This temple found by Tenkai during Kan’ei period (beginning of Edo era) by an attempt to emulate the powerful religious center Enryaku-ji, in Kyoto.  Since it was one of the two Tokugawa funeral temple; the other was Zōjō-ji, it had huge power during the edo period.

Name: Kan’eiji (Tōeizan Kan’ei-ji Endon-in)
Place: Uenosakuragi 1-14-11, Taito-city, Tokyo
Foundation: 1625
Principal Image: Yakushirurikō Nyorai(薬師瑠璃光如来: Bhaisajyaguru)
Founded by: Priest Tenkai
School: Tendai
Festival:　Daihannyakyo dokkai (Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra chanting festival) (2nd Feb), Kaizan kai (Zigen great priest memorial ) (2nd Ocotber), Tendai kai (Tendai school festi
Flowers: Cherry (Ueno park March-April)

Official website: http://kaneiji.jp/pdf/english.pdf   http://kaneiji.jp/about4

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kan%27ei-ji

Overview: The statue is approximately 13.35 meters tall including the base and weighs approximately 93 tonnes. The monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amitābha Buddha probably produced in 1252. The statue is stated on outside but used be covered by hall but had been destroyed several times.

2025.01.15

2025.01.15

2017.02.18

2017.02.18

2020.02.22

2020.02.22

2020.02.22

 

Name: Taiizan Kotokuin Shojosenji  (Great Buddha temple)
Place: 4-2-28, Hase, Kamakura,
Admission JPY 300
Foundation: 1252
School：Jyodo (Pure land)
Principal Image: Amitābha Buddha

Official website: https://www.kotoku-in.jp/en/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dtoku-in

Overview: The temple is well known for its power of Yakuyoke (warding off evil), Kawasaki Daishi is one of the biggest temples of the Chisan School of Shingon Buddhism

川崎大師

川崎大師

神奈川　川崎　川崎大師　本殿

Name: Kongosan Kinjoin Heikenji (Yakuyoke Kobo Daishi or Kawasaki Daishi)
Place: 4-48 Daisahi-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa
Foundation: 1128
School:　Singon
Principal Image: The image of Kobo Daishi (Kukai 774-835)
Founded by: Buddhist Priest Sonken
Festival: Gancho Ohgomaku(Dec 31-Jan 1)the first Goma-Kito (the rite of burning) of the year, Setsubun-e・Mamemakishiki(around Feb 3) , Gohonzon Kobo-Daishi Gotan Hoshukuethe (birthday of the priest Kobo-Daishi) (Mid June), Furin-Ichi (Wind-Bell-Market) (July)

Official website: http://www.kawasakidaishi.com/english/index.html

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_Daishi