Shitenno-ji
Encyclopedia
is a Buddhist temple
in Osaka
, Japan
.
Prince Shōtoku
is said to have constructed this temple in 593. It is the first Buddhist and oldest officially administered temple in Japan, although the temple buildings have been rebuilt over the centuries. Most of the present structures are from when the temple was last completely rebuilt in 1963. One of the members involved in the initial construction of the temple in the 6th century later established a firm Kongō Gumi
, specialized in temple and shrine buildings over centuries.
Prince Shotoku was known for his profound Buddhist faith when Buddhism
was not widespread in Japan.
The Shitennō
are the four heavenly kings. The temple Prince Shōtoku built to honor them had four institutions, each to help the Japanese attain a higher level of civilization. This was centered around the seven-building (the complex inside the walls), and included a Kyōden-in (Institution of Religion and Education), a Hiden-in (Welfare Institution), a Ryōbyō-in (Hospital), and a Seiyaku-in (Pharmacy) to provide essential care to the people of Japan.
The garan consists of a five-story pagoda, a main Golden Pavilion (Kondō
) housing an image of the Nyorai Kannon, and a Kōdō (Lecture Hall) under a covered corridor holding three gates (the Deva Gate, the Western Gate, and the Eastern Gate). Surrounding this central complex are the Great South Gate (Nandaimon), and a Great East Gate (Higashi-no-ō'mon). To the west is the Great West Gate (Nishi-no-ō'mon), also known as . Further to the west is a stone torii
, which is widely accepted as the Eastern Gate to the .
The temple has been called Arahaka-ji, Nanba-ji, or Mitsu-ji.
Shitennō-ji is home to a major flea market on the 21st of each month.
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, 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...
.
Prince 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...
is said to have constructed this temple in 593. It is the first Buddhist and oldest officially administered temple in Japan, although the temple buildings have been rebuilt over the centuries. Most of the present structures are from when the temple was last completely rebuilt in 1963. One of the members involved in the initial construction of the temple in the 6th century later established a firm Kongō Gumi
Kongo Gumi
is a Japanese construction company and was the world's oldest continuously ongoing independent company, operating for over 1,400 years until it was absorbed as a subsidiary of another larger construction company...
, specialized in temple and shrine buildings over centuries.
Prince Shotoku was known for his profound Buddhist faith when Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
was not widespread in Japan.
Four Heavenly Kings
In the Buddhist faith, the Four Heavenly Kings are four gods, each of whom watches over one cardinal direction of the world.The Kings are collectively named as follows:...
are the four heavenly kings. The temple Prince Shōtoku built to honor them had four institutions, each to help the Japanese attain a higher level of civilization. This was centered around the seven-building (the complex inside the walls), and included a Kyōden-in (Institution of Religion and Education), a Hiden-in (Welfare Institution), a Ryōbyō-in (Hospital), and a Seiyaku-in (Pharmacy) to provide essential care to the people of Japan.
The garan consists of a five-story pagoda, a main Golden Pavilion (Kondō
Kondo
Kondō is a Japanese surname, and is sometimes used in other contexts.People named Kondo:* Koji Kondo, musician, composer* Dorinne K...
) housing an image of the Nyorai Kannon, and a Kōdō (Lecture Hall) under a covered corridor holding three gates (the Deva Gate, the Western Gate, and the Eastern Gate). Surrounding this central complex are the Great South Gate (Nandaimon), and a Great East Gate (Higashi-no-ō'mon). To the west is the Great West Gate (Nishi-no-ō'mon), also known as . Further to the west is a stone torii
Torii
A is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred...
, which is widely accepted as the Eastern Gate to the .
The temple has been called Arahaka-ji, Nanba-ji, or Mitsu-ji.
Shitennō-ji is home to a major flea market on the 21st of each month.
Access
- a 5-minute walk from Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka StationShitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Stationis a train station on the Osaka Municipal Subway Tanimachi Line in Tennoji-ku, Osaka, Japan.-History:*December 17, 1968: "Shitennoji-mae Station" opened.*August 29, 1997: renamed "Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station".-Layout:...
on the Osaka Municipal SubwayOsaka Municipal Subwayis the metro network in the city of Osaka, Japan, forming an integral part of the extensive mass transit system of Greater Osaka , having 125 out of the 1,108 rail stations in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto region. In 2010 the greater Osaka region had 13 million rail passengers daily of which the Osaka...
Tanimachi Line. - a 15-minute walk from Tennoji StationTennoji Stationis a train station on the JR West Osaka Loop Line, Hanwa Line, Yamatoji Line, Osaka Municipal Subway Midōsuji Line, and Tanimachi Line, located in Tennōji-ku and Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, and is a train station on the tram Hankai Uemachi Line in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan...
on the JR WestWest Japan Railway Company, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group companies and operates in western Honshū. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka.-History:...
Lines and the Osaka Municipal Subway Lines. - a 15-minute walk from Osaka Abenobashi Station on the KintetsuKintetsu, named Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. in English until June 27, 2003, is a Japanese rail transit corporation commonly known as . It is the largest non-JR railway in Japan. Its complex network of lines connects Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Tsu and Ise...
Minami-Osaka Line.
See also
- For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese BuddhismGlossary of Japanese BuddhismThis 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...
. - List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts: others)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts: swords)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (writings)