Horin-ji (Nara)
Encyclopedia
, or is a Buddhist temple in Mii, Ikaruga
Ikaruga, Nara
is a town located in Ikoma District, Nara, Japan.Ikaruga is home to Hōryū-ji and Hokki-ji, ancient Buddhist temples collectively inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage. Other ancient temples include Hōrin-ji, also in the vicinity of Hōryū-ji....

, Nara
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....

, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. The temple's honorary sangō prefix is . The temple is located about a kilometer north of Hōryū-ji
Hōryū-ji
is a Buddhist temple in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is Hōryū Gakumonji , or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving as seminary and monastery both....

's Tō-in. The origin of the temple is not certain, although there are two prevalent theories, namely that: 1) it was built in 622 AD by Yamashiro no Ōe no ō
Prince Yamashiro
was the eldest son of one of the most famous figures in Japanese history, Prince Shōtoku. Yamashiro claimed the right to Imperial succession in 628, following the death of Empress Suiko...

 in his wish for his father, Prince Regent Shōtoku
Prince Shotoku
, also known as or , was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko. He was a son of Emperor Yōmei and his younger half-sister Princess Anahobe no Hashihito. His parents were relatives of the ruling Soga clan, and was involved in the defeat...

, to recover from an illness, or 2) it was built in 670 by three monks, Kudara Kaihōshi, Enmyōshi and Shimohishinmotsu, as part of the reconstruction of Hōryū-ji, which had burned down that same year. The original date of construction is unclear, while studies so far suggest it was in the seventh century. The temple was a designated national treasure until the last remaining original structure of the complex, the three-story pagoda, was hit by a lightning in 1944, burnt to ground. The current pagoda is a reconstruction from 1975, and holds the original reliquary that was saved from the fire in 1944.

The temple holds six Buddhist statues that are designated important cultural assets. These are open to public as regular exhibits.

See also

  • Hokki-ji
    Hokki-ji
    — formerly known as and is a Buddhist temple in Okamoto, Ikaruga, Nara, Japan. The temple's honorary sangō prefix is , although it is rarely used. The temple was constructed to honor Avalokitesvara, and an 11-faced statue of the goddess is the primary object of worship in the temple...

  • For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
    Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
    This is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries...

    .

External links

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