Spiritual life for Japanese people probably means as much as soccer for Brazilians and football for Americans. And the reflections of their belief are the numerous tourism places to see, namely temples, found all over the country.
Here’s my top-five list of must-see temples while in Japan:
Tōdai-ji is a temple complex situated in the city of Nara. It was built in 743. At that time Buddhism was the state religion of Japan. After the reconstruction (from 1692) two-thirds of the temple’s original size remained.
This temple holds Japan’s largest statue of Buddha which is made of copper and bronze. The statue is also known as the Nara Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Nara). Tōdai-ji is famous for its Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall)–the largest wooden construction in the world.
Kenchō-ji is the most renowned and remarkable among Kamakura’s five great Zen temples. It is also the oldest Zen training monastery in Japan. The temple used to have seven principal buildings and 49 sub-temples. However, fires, earthquakes and civil wars did not pass without leaving their trace and many original buildings were destroyed. The visitors of this temple should by all means visit the wonderful garden behind the Hojo (Kenchō-ji’s main hall).
Kiyomizu-dera, which dates back to 798, is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. It takes its name from the nearby waterfall — Kiyomizu means pure water. The temple’s large verandas give you the unique opportunity to admire the impressive views of the city. However, the main purpose of verandas was a bit different — they were constructed during the Edo period for hosting the numerous pilgrims of the temple. Another interesting fact is that the construction of the temple was accomplished without using a single nail.
Sensō-ji is another Buddhist temple which is situated in Asakusa, Tokyo. It is one of the most important and expressive temples in Japan and the oldest in Tokyo (founded in 645). Sensō-ji is also called Asakusa Kannon Temple. The temple is devoted to the Bodhisattva Kannon, the goddess of mercy.
In Japan you can take part in countless festivals because almost every shrine has its own matsuri (festival) to celebrate. Tokyo’s largest and most popular Sanja Matsuri (Sanja festival) is held in Sensō-ji. It takes place in late spring and lasts for three or four days.
Chūson-ji, established in 850, is a Buddhist temple in Hiraizumi and its most famous attraction. At its golden days the temple consisted of a dozen of buildings but through the centuries it has suffered a lot. Today there are only two buildings from that era that have remained undamaged. The Konjiki-dō is one of those two buildings. It is translated as “the Golden Hall.” The building is made of wood and it has received that name because of the gold leaves with which it is covered. Konjiki-dō is one of the most beautiful and intricately decorated buildings in the world.
Photo © herrolm; Yoshiliciouz♠; tioguerra; Michael McDonough; kntrty
No related posts.