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Buddhist temples or Buddhist monasteries together with Shinto shrines, are considered to be amongst the most numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.The term "Shinto shrine" is used in opposition to "Buddhist temple" to mirror in English the distinction made in Japanese between Shinto and Buddhist religious structures. In Japanese the first are called , the second . The shogunates or leaders of Japan have made it a priority to update and rebuild Buddhist temples since the Momoyama period. The
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
word for a Buddhist monastery is ( ''kun'' reading) and the same kanji also has the pronunciation ''ji'' (''on'' reading), so that temple names frequently end in ''-dera'' or ''-ji''. Another ending, , is normally used to refer to minor temples. Such famous temples as Kiyomizu-dera,
Enryaku-ji is a Tendai monastery located on Mount Hiei in Ōtsu, overlooking Kyoto. It was first founded in 788 during the early Heian period (794–1185) by Saichō (767–822), also known as Dengyō Daishi, who introduced the Tendai sect of Mahayan ...
and
Kōtoku-in is a Buddhist temple of the Jōdo-shū sect, in the city of Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Its mountain name is , and its common temple name is . The temple is renowned for The Great Buddha of Kamakura, a monumental outdoor bronze st ...
are temples which use the described naming pattern.


Etymology

The
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
word for a Buddhist temple was anciently also written phonetically 天良, ''tera'' and is cognate with the
Modern Korean Korean (South Korean: , ''hangugeo''; North Korean: , ''chosŏnmal'') is the native language for about 80 million people, mostly of Korean descent. It is the official and national language of both North Korea and South Korea (geographically Ko ...
''Chǒl'' from Middle Korean ''Tiel'', the Jurchen ''Taira'' and the reconstructed Old Chinese *''dɘiaʁ'', all meaning "Buddhist Monastery". These words are apparently derived from the
Aramaic The Aramaic languages, short Aramaic ( syc, ܐܪܡܝܐ, Arāmāyā; oar, 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤀; arc, 𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀; tmr, אֲרָמִית), are a language family containing many varieties (languages and dialects) that originated in ...
word for "Monastery" ''dērā/ dairā/ dēr'' (from the root ''dwr'' "to live together"), rather than from the unrelated and later Indian word for monastery '' vihara'' and may have been transmitted by the first Central Asian translators of Buddhist scriptures, such as
An Shigao An Shigao (, Korean: An Sego, Japanese: An Seikō, Vietnamese: An Thế Cao) (fl. c. 148-180 CE) was an early Buddhist missionary to China, and the earliest known translator of Indian Buddhist texts into Chinese. According to legend, he was a pri ...
or Lokaksema.


Buddhist and Shinto structures

In Japan, Buddhist temples co-exist with Shinto shrines and both share the basic features of Japanese traditional architecture. Both '' Torii'' and '' rōmon'' mark the entrance to a shrine as well as temples although torii is associated with Shinto and Romon is associated with Buddhism. Some shrines, for example Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū, have a Buddhist-style main gate called '' sōmon''. Many temples have a '' temizuya'' and ''
komainu , often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance or the ''honden'', or inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the ...
'', like a shrine. Conversely, some shrines make use of incense or have a
shōrō The two main types of bell tower in Japan The or is the bell tower of a Buddhist temple in Japan, housing the temple's . It can also be found at some Shinto shrines which used to function as temples (see article '' Shinbutsu shūgō''), as ...
belltower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
. Others – for example, Tanzan Shrine in Nara – may even have a
pagoda A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...
. Similarities between temples and shrines are also functional. Like a shrine, a Buddhist temple is not primarily a place of worship: its most important buildings are used for the safekeeping of sacred objects (the '' honzon'', equivalent to a shrine's '' shintai'') and are not accessible to worshipers. Unlike a Christian church, a temple is also a
monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...
. There are specialized buildings for certain rites, but these are usually open only to a limited number of participants. Religious mass gatherings do not take place with regularity as with Christian religions and are in any event not held inside the temple. If many people are involved in a ceremony, it will assume a festive character and will be held outdoors. The architectural elements of a Buddhist temple are meant to embody themes and teachings of Buddhism. The reason for the great structural resemblances between the Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines lies in their common history. When Shintoism first encountered Buddhism it became more interpretive as it did not try to explain the universe as Buddhism sometimes tried to. It is in fact normal for a temple to have been also a shrine and in architectural terms, obvious differences between the two are therefore few, so much so that often only a specialist can see them. Many visitors visit Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines for similar reasons such as prayer and for luck. The two religions coexist due to increased popularity of religions and the birth of new religions. Shrines enshrining local '' kami'' existed long before the arrival of Buddhism, but they consisted either of demarcated land areas without any building or of temporary shrines, erected when needed.Fujita, Koga (2008:20-21) With the arrival of Buddhism in Japan in the 6th century, shrines were subjected to its influence and adopted both the concept of permanent structures and the architecture of Buddhist temples. The successive development of '' shinbutsu-shūgō'' (syncretism of Buddhism and ''kami'' worship) and of the ''
honji suijaku The term in Japanese religious terminology refers to a theory widely accepted until the Meiji period according to which Indian Buddhist deities choose to appear in Japan as native ''kami'' to more easily convert and save the Japanese.Breen and Te ...
'' theory brought to the almost complete fusion of ''kami'' worship and Buddhism. It became normal for shrines to be accompanied by temples in mixed complexes called or .The fact was reflected in their name. Kamakura's Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, for example, was then called Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gūji, or Tsurugaoka Shrine-temple. The opposite was also common: most temples had at least a small shrine dedicated to its tutelary '' kami'' and were therefore called . The Meiji era eliminated most ''jingūji'', but left ''jisha'' intact, so much so that even today most temples have at least one, sometimes very large, shrine on their premises and Buddhist goddess Benzaiten is often worshiped at Shinto shrines.An extant example of the syncretic fusion of Buddhism and Shinto is
Seiganto-ji , Temple of Crossing the Blue Shore, is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. In 2004, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other locations, under the name "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mounta ...
, part of the
Kumano Sanzan A is a type of Shinto shrine which enshrines the three Kumano mountains: Hongū, Shingū, and Nachi [].Encyclopedia of ShintoKumano Shinkō accessed on October 6, 2008 There are more than 3,000 Kumano shrines in Japan, and each has received its k ...
shrine complex. It is one of the few ''jingūji'' still in existence after the forcible separation of Shinto and Buddhism operated by the Japanese government during the Meiji restoration. For details of the subject of shrine-temples, see the article Shinbutsu shūgō.
As a consequence, for centuries shrines and temples had a symbiotic relationship where each influenced the other. Shrines took from Buddhism its gates ( Mon), the use of a hall for lay worshipers, the use of
vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color, color family, and pigment most often made, since antiquity until the 19th century, from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide, which is toxic) and its corresponding color. It i ...
-colored wood and more, while Chinese Buddhist architecture was adapted to Japanese tastes with more asymmetrical layouts, greater use of natural materials, and an adaptation of the monastery to the pre-existing natural environment.
p=47
/ref> The clear separation between Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, which today is the norm, emerges only as a result of the '' shinbutsu bunri'' ("separation of ''kami'' and Buddhas") law of 1868. This separation was mandated by law, and many shrine-temples were forced to become just shrines, among them famous ones like
Usa Hachiman-gū The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
and Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū. Because mixing the two religions was now forbidden, ''jingūji'' had to give away some of their properties or dismantle some of their buildings, thus damaging the integrity of their cultural heritage and decreasing the historical and economic value of their properties.Kamakura Official Textbook for Culture and Tourism For example, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū's giant
Niō are two wrathful and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in East Asian Buddhism in the form of frightening wrestler-like statues. They are dharmapala manifestations of the bodhisattva Vajra ...
(the two wooden wardens usually found at the sides of a temple's entrance), being objects of Buddhist worship and therefore illegal where they were, were sold to
Jufuku-ji , usually known as Jufuku-ji, is a temple of the Kenchō-ji branch of the Rinzai sect and the oldest Zen temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Ranked third among Kamakura's prestigious Five Mountains, it is number 24 among the pilgrim ...
, where they still are. The shrine-temple also had to destroy Buddhism-related buildings, for example its ''
tahōtō A is a form of Japanese pagoda found primarily at Esoteric Shingon and Tendai school Buddhist temples. It is unique among pagodas because it has an even number of stories (two). (The second story has a balustrade and seems habitable, but ...
'', its ''mi '' and its ''
shichidō garan ''Shichidō garan'' is a Japanese Buddhist term indicating the seven halls composing the ideal Buddhist temple compound. This compound word is composed of , literally meaning "seven halls", and , meaning "temple". The term is often shortened t ...
''.


Architecture


General features

Buddhist architecture in Japan is not native, but imported from China and other Asian cultures over the centuries with such constancy that the building styles of all Six Dynasties are represented. Its history is, as a consequence, dominated by Chinese and other Asian techniques and styles (present even in
Ise Shrine The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and . The Inner ...
, held to be the quintessence of Japanese architecture) on one side, and by Japanese original variations on those themes on the other.Hozumi (1996:9-11) Partly due also to the variety of climates in Japan and the millennium encompassed between the first cultural import and the last, the result is extremely heterogeneous, but several practically universal features can be found nonetheless. First of all is the choice of materials, always wood in various forms (planks, straw, tree bark, etc.) for almost all structures. Unlike both Western and some Chinese architecture, the use of stone is avoided except for certain specific uses, for example temple podia and
pagoda A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...
foundations. The general structure is almost always the same: post and lintel support a large and gently curved roof, while the walls are paper-thin, often movable and in any case non-carrying. The post and lintel structure embodies the Axis Mundi of an iconic form of the Buddha which is typically represented in Pagodas and Indian Stupas. Arches and barrel roofs are completely absent. Gable and eave curves are gentler than in China and columnar entasis (convexity at the center) limited. The roof is the most visually impressive component, often constituting half the size of the whole edifice. The slightly curved eaves extend far beyond the walls, covering verandas, and their weight must therefore be supported by complex bracket systems called '' tokyō''. These oversize eaves give the interior a characteristic dimness, which contributes to the temple's atmosphere. The interior of the building normally consists of a single room at the center called '' moya'', from which sometimes depart other less important spaces, for example corridors called ''hisashi''. Inner space divisions are fluid, and room size can be modified through the use of screens or movable paper walls. The large, single space offered by the main hall can therefore be altered according to the need. The separation between inside and outside is itself in some measure not absolute as entire walls can be removed, opening the temple to visitors. Verandas appear to be part of the building to an outsider, but part of the external world to those in the temple. Structures are therefore made to a certain extent part of their environment. The use of construction modules keeps proportions between different parts of the edifice constant, preserving its overall harmony. (On the subject of temple proportions, see also the article ''ken''). Even in cases as that of
Nikkō Tōshō-gū is a Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Together with Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji, it forms the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 42 structures of the shrine included in t ...
, where every available space is heavily decorated, ornamentation tends to follow, and therefore emphasize rather than hide, basic structures. Being shared by both sacred and profane architecture, these architectonic features made it easy converting a lay building into a temple. This happened for example at Hōryū-ji, where a noblewoman's mansion was transformed into a religious building. Buddhist architecture of the Heian Period consisted of the re-emergence of national tastes. The temple Hojoji represents paradise and the pure land which embodies elements of Pure Land Buddhism. The last formal temple was Motsuji. Muroji is a temple complex found below the mountain of Mount Muro. The area behind the temple is sacred and is off limits to visitors and pilgrims. The caves of Mount Muro are especially sacred. The famous Dragon Cave is the thought to house the Dragon King who protects the country. This is an example of how natural elements are sacred aspects of Buddhist Temples. There are four great temples of the seventh century: Asukadera, Kudara Odera, Kawaradera and Yakushiji.


Four great temples of the seventh century


Asuka-Dera

This great hall had three golden halls and was the first full scale temple. It was the most significant temple in the Asuka period. The founder of Asukadera was Soga no Umako and he had built a smaller scaled residence similar to the great hall. Many royal palaces were built in this natural environment for centuries later. When visited today it barely holds its grandeur it once had as there are no clear marks of where the original halls were and now the main scene is the parking lot with tour buses.


Kudara Odera

The foundation remains might be those of the remains found on the site of Kibi Pond (Kibi Ike). This grand temple had a nine-story pagoda which was constructed at the beginnings of Buddhism in Japan.


Kawaradera

The excavations and reconstruction of Kawaradera help us understand what it originally looked like. The plan originally had two golden halls with a pagoda and then residential spaces for monks. It was in an asymmetrical arrangement which was very new and innovative for this time. Sources lack in the history of its construction and who commissioned it.


Yakushiji

In the early eighth century this temple was constructed in Nara and has been reproduced into the original layout today. The monumental Yakushi triad exists here. The structure is in bright colors as it also would have originally been.


History

The architecture of Buddhist temples, as that of any structure, has changed and developed over the centuries. However, while the particular details may vary, the general themes and styles have strong similarities and common origins. The already mentioned Hōryū-ji was one of the first Buddhist temples built in Japan. Its primary structures represent the style current in 6th century CE Sui dynasty China. The
Kondō Kondō, Kondo or Kondou (近藤 "near wisteria") is a surname prominent in Japanese culture, although it also occurs in other countries. Notable people with the surname include: * , Japanese ballet dancer * Dorinne K. Kondo, anthropologist * Kond ...
(Golden Hall) is a double-roofed structure, supported by thick, strong pillars, and giving a feeling of boldness and weight. Most Buddhist temples in Japan belong to one of four main styles: * Wayō - A style developed in art and architecture in Japan during the
Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese ...
by the esoteric sects Tendai and
Shingon Shingon monks at Mount Koya is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks such as Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra. Kn ...
on the basis of contemporary Chinese architecture. So called to distinguish it from imported Chinese styles, in architecture it was characterized by simplicity, refraining from ornamentation, use of natural timber and in general plain materials. *
Daibutsuyō is a Japanese religious architectural style which emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century. Together with ''Wayō'' and ''Zenshūyō'', it is one of the three most significant styles developed by Japanese Buddhism on the basis of Chinese mo ...
- a Japanese religious architectural style which emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century on the basis of contemporary Chinese architecture. Introduced by priest Chōgen, this grandiose and monumental style was based on
Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
architecture and was the antithesis of the simple and traditional '' wayō'' style. The Nandaimon at
Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergo ...
and the Amida Hall at Jōdo-ji are the only extant examples of this style.
p=737
/ref>
p=20
/ref> * Zenshūyō - A style which takes its name from its creators, the Buddhist Zen sect, and which emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century on the basis of contemporary Chinese architecture. The ''zenshūyō'' was originally called but, like the Daibutsu style, was renamed by Ōta Hirotarō, a 20th-century scholar. Its characteristics are earthen floors, decorative curved pent roofs ('' mokoshi'') and pronouncedly curved main roofs, cusped windows (''
katōmado , also written , is a style of pointed arch or bell-shaped window found in Japanese architecture.In English, this type of window is also simply called "wikt:cusped, cusped window". It first arrived in Japan from China together with Zen Buddhism, ...
'') and paneled doors.
p=738
/ref> Typical of the style is also the main hall (''
Butsuden Main hall is the building within a Japanese Buddhist temple compound ('' garan'') which enshrines the main object of veneration.Kōjien Japanese dictionary Because the various denominations deliberately use different terms, this single English ...
''), which has just one story but seems to have two because it has a covered pent roof called '' mokoshi''. *
Setchūyō is an architectural style born in Japan during the Muromachi period from the fusion of elements from three different antecedent styles: ''wayō'', ''daibutsuyō'', and ''zenshūyō''. It is exemplified by the Main Hall (Japanese Buddhism), main ...
- an architectural style born in Japan during the Muromachi period from the fusion of elements from three preceding styles, the ''wayō'', the ''daibutsuyō'' and ''zen'yō''. It is exemplified by the main hall at Kakurin-ji.
p=44
/ref> The combination of ''wayō'' and ''daibutsuyō'' in particular became so frequent that sometimes it is classed separately by scholars under the name .


Layout and geomantic positioning

Buddhist temple complexes consist of a number of structures arranged according to certain concepts or guidelines. The arrangement of the major buildings () changed over time. An early pattern had a gate, tower, ''
kondō Kondō, Kondo or Kondou (近藤 "near wisteria") is a surname prominent in Japanese culture, although it also occurs in other countries. Notable people with the surname include: * , Japanese ballet dancer * Dorinne K. Kondo, anthropologist * Kond ...
'' and ''kodō'' in a straight line from south to north. Corridors extended east and west from the flanks of the gate, then turned north, and finally joined north of the ''kōdo'', forming a cloister around the pagoda and the major halls. This pattern, typified by
Shitennō-ji Shitennō-ji ( ja, 四天王寺, ''Temple of the Four Heavenly Kings'') is a Buddhist temple in Ōsaka, Japan. It is also known as Arahaka-ji, Nanba-ji, or Mitsu-ji. The temple is sometimes regarded as the first Buddhist and oldest officially-a ...
in Osaka, came from China via Baekje; the Chinese style of Buddhist temples, though altered somewhat by China via Korean peninsula, ultimately was based on that of Chinese palaces, and this is evident in many of the basic design features which remain today in the temples of all three countries. A Buddhist temple complex in Japan generally follows the pattern of a series of sacred spaces encircling a courtyard, and entered via a set of gates. These gates will typically have a pair of large guardian statues, called ''
Niō are two wrathful and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in East Asian Buddhism in the form of frightening wrestler-like statues. They are dharmapala manifestations of the bodhisattva Vajra ...
''. In addition, many of the more important or powerful temples are built in locations which are favorable according to the precepts of Chinese
geomancy Geomancy ( Greek: γεωμαντεία, "earth divination") is a method of divination that interprets markings on the ground or the patterns formed by tossed handfuls of soil, rocks, or sand. The most prevalent form of divinatory geomancy in ...
. For example, Enryaku-ji, which sits atop
Mount Hiei is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures, Japan. The temple of Enryaku-ji, the first outpost of the Japanese Tendai (Chin. Tiantai) sect of Buddhism, was founded atop Mount Hiei b ...
to the north-east of
Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin, Keihanshin metropolitan area along wi ...
, is said to defend the city from evil spirits by being placed in that direction. The arrangements of mountains and other geographic features in particular directions around the temple play important roles as well. This custom continued for a long time. Eight centuries after the founding of Enryaku-ji, the
Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
established
Kan'ei-ji (also spelled Kan'eiji or Kaneiji) is a Tendai Buddhism, Buddhist temple in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 1625 during the Kan'ei era by Tenkai, in an attempt to emulate the powerful religious center Enryaku-ji, in Kyoto. The main object of worship is ...
in a similar direction for the protection of their Edo Castle. Its mountain-name, Mount Tōei (東叡山 ''Tōei-zan''), takes a character from Mount Hiei (比叡山 ''Hiei-zan''), and can be interpreted as meaning "the Mount Hiei of the East." Kamakura's Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū is now only a Shinto shrine but, before the of 1868, its name was and it was also a Buddhist temple, one of the oldest of the city.Kamakura Shōkō Kaigijo (2008: 56-57) The temple and the city were built with Feng Shui in mind. The present location was carefully chosen as the most propitious after consulting a diviner because it had a mountain to the north (the ), a river to the east (the Namerikawa) and a great road to the west (the ), and was open to the south (on
Sagami Bay lies south of Kanagawa Prefecture in Honshu, central Japan, contained within the scope of the Miura Peninsula, in Kanagawa, to the east, the Izu Peninsula, in Shizuoka Prefecture, to the west, and the Shōnan coastline to the north, while th ...
).Ōnuki (2008:80) Each direction was protected by a god: Genbu guarded the north, Seiryū the east, Byakko the west and Suzaku the south. The willows near the ponds and the catalpas next to the Museum of Modern Art represent respectively Seiryū and Byakko. Geomancy lost in importance during the Heian period as temple layout was adapted to the natural environment, disregarding feng shui. In addition to geomantic considerations, Buddhist temples, like any other religious structures, need to be organized in order to best serve their various purposes. The most important space in any Buddhist temple complex is the sacred space where images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas are kept, and where important rituals are performed. These areas are always separated from those accessible to the lay worshipers, though the distance between the two and the manner of their separation is quite varied. In many temples, there is little more than a wooden railing dividing the sacred space with that of the laypeople, but in many others there is a significant distance, perhaps a graveled courtyard, between the two. Another structure or space of great importance accommodates the physical day-to-day needs of the clergy. Spaces for eating, sleeping and studying are essential, particularly in those temples that serve as monasteries. According to a 13th-century text, "a garan is a temple with a ''kon-dō'' (main hall), a '' '' (
pagoda A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...
), a ''kō-dō'' (lecture hall), a ''shōrō'' (belfry), a ''jiki-dō'' (refectory), a ''sōbō'' (monks' living quarters), and a ''
kyōzō in Japanese Buddhist architecture is a repository for sūtras and chronicles of the temple history. It is also called , , or . In ancient times the ''kyōzō'' was placed opposite the belfry on the east–west axis of the temple. The earliest ex ...
'' (scriptures deposit, library)."Kōsetsu Bukkyō Daijiten (広説仏教語大辞典) These are the seven listed as ''shichidō'' elements of a temple.Iwanami
Kōjien is a single-volume Japanese dictionary first published by Iwanami Shoten in 1955. It is widely regarded as the most authoritative dictionary of Japanese, and newspaper editorials frequently cite its definitions. As of 2007, it had sold 11 mil ...
A 15th-century text describes how
Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
school temples (
Sōtō Sōtō Zen or is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Cáodòng school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dòngsh� ...
(), Rinzai ())The Ōbaku School () arrived in Japan in the 17th century. included a ''
butsuden Main hall is the building within a Japanese Buddhist temple compound ('' garan'') which enshrines the main object of veneration.Kōjien Japanese dictionary Because the various denominations deliberately use different terms, this single English ...
'' or ''butsu-dō'' (main hall), a ''hattō'' (lecture hall), a ''kuin'' (kitchen/office), a ''sō-dō'' (building dedicated to Zazen), a ''
sanmon A , also called , is the most important gate of a Japanese Zen Buddhist temple, and is part of the Zen '' shichidō garan'', the group of buildings that forms the heart of a Zen Buddhist temple.JAANUS It can be often found in temples of other de ...
'' (main gate), a ''tōsu'' (toilet) and a ''yokushitsu'' (bath).


Common temple features

*''
Butsuden Main hall is the building within a Japanese Buddhist temple compound ('' garan'') which enshrines the main object of veneration.Kōjien Japanese dictionary Because the various denominations deliberately use different terms, this single English ...
'' or ''Butsu-dō'' (仏殿・仏堂) – lit. "Hall of Buddha". **A ''Zen'' temple's ''main hall''. Seems to have two stories, but has in fact only one and measures either 3×3 or 5×5 bays. **Any building enshrining the statue of Buddha or of a ''bodhisattva'' and dedicated to prayer. *''
chinjusha In Japan, a is a Shinto shrine which enshrines a ; that is, a patron spirit that protects a given area, village, building or a Buddhist temple. The Imperial Palace has its own tutelary shrine dedicated to the 21 guardian gods of Ise Shrine. ...
'' (鎮守社/鎮主社) – a small ''shrine'' built at a Buddhist ''temple'' and dedicated to its tutelary kami. *''chōzuya'' (手水舎) – see ''temizuya''. *''chūmon'' (中門) – in a temple, the gate after the ''naindaimon'' connected to a ''kairō''. See also ''mon''. * (堂) – Lit. hall. Suffix for the name of the buildings part of a temple. The prefix can be the name of a deity associated with it (e.g. Yakushi-dō, or Yakushi hall) or express the building's function within the temple's compound (e.g. hon-dō, or main hall). See also ''Butsu-dō'', ''hō-dō'', ''hon-dō'', ''jiki-dō'', ''kaisan-dō'', ''kō-dō'', ''kon-dō'', ''kyō-dō'', ''mandara-dō'', ''miei-dō'', ''mi-dō'', ''sō-dō'', ''Yakushi-dō'' and ''zen-dō''. *''garan'' – see ''shichi-dō garan''. *''hattō'' (法堂) – lit. "''Dharma'' hall". A building dedicated to lectures by the chief priest on Buddhism's scriptures (the ''hō''). *''hōjō'' (方丈) – the living quarters of the head priest of a Zen temple. *''Hokke-dō'' (法華堂) – lit. "Lotus Sūtra hall". In Tendai Buddhism, a hall whose layout allows walking around a statue for meditation. The purpose of walking is to concentrate on the ''Hokekyō'' and seek the ultimate truth. *''honbō'' (本坊) – residence of the ''jushoku'', or head priest, of a temple. *''
kairō Two examples of ''kairō'' , , is the Japanese version of a cloister, a covered corridor originally built around the most sacred area of a Buddhist temple, a zone which contained the '' kondō'' and the ''tō''. Nowadays it can be found also ...
'' (回廊・廻廊) – a long and roofed portico-like passage connecting two buildings. *''kaisan-dō'' (開山堂) – founder's hall, usually at a Zen temple. Building enshrining a statue, portrait or memorial tablet of the founder of either the temple or the sect it belongs to. Jōdo sect temples often call it ''miei-dō''. *''
karamon The is a type of gate seen in Japanese architecture. It is characterized by the usage of '' karahafu'', an undulating bargeboard peculiar to Japan. ''Karamon'' are often used at the entrances of Japanese castles, Buddhist temples and Shinto s ...
'' (唐門) – generic term for a gate with an arched roof. See also ''mon''. *'' karesansui'' (枯山水) – lit. ''dry landscape''. A Japanese rock garden, often present in Zen temples, and sometimes found in temples of other sects too. *''
katōmado , also written , is a style of pointed arch or bell-shaped window found in Japanese architecture.In English, this type of window is also simply called "wikt:cusped, cusped window". It first arrived in Japan from China together with Zen Buddhism, ...
'' (華頭窓) – a bell shaped window originally developed at Zen temples in China, but widely used by other Buddhist sects as well as in lay buildings. *''
kon-dō Main hall is the building within a Japanese Buddhist temple compound ('' garan'') which enshrines the main object of veneration.Kōjien Japanese dictionary Because the various denominations deliberately use different terms, this single English t ...
'' (金堂) – lit. "golden hall", it is the main hall of a ''garan'', housing the main object of worship. Unlike a ''butsuden'', it is a true two-story building (although the second story may sometimes be missing) measuring 9×7 bays. *''konrō'' (軒廊) – covered corridor between two buildings *''korō'' or ''kurō'' (鼓楼) – tower housing a drum that marks the passing of time. It used to face the ''shōrō'' and lie next to the ''kō-dō'', but now the drum is usually kept in the ''rōmon''. *''kuin*'' (庫院) – kitchen/office of a Zen ''garan''. A building hosting the galleys, the kitchen, and the offices of a temple. Usually situated in front and to the side of the ''butsuden'', facing the ''sō-dō''. Also called ''kuri''. *''kuri'' (庫裏) – see ''kuin'' *''kyō-dō'' (経堂) – see ''
kyōzō in Japanese Buddhist architecture is a repository for sūtras and chronicles of the temple history. It is also called , , or . In ancient times the ''kyōzō'' was placed opposite the belfry on the east–west axis of the temple. The earliest ex ...
''. *''
kyōzō in Japanese Buddhist architecture is a repository for sūtras and chronicles of the temple history. It is also called , , or . In ancient times the ''kyōzō'' was placed opposite the belfry on the east–west axis of the temple. The earliest ex ...
'' (経蔵) – lit. "scriptures deposit". Repository of sūtras and books about the temple's history. Also called ''kyō–dō''. *''miei-dō'' (御影堂) – lit. "image hall". Building housing an image of the temple's founder, equivalent to a Zen sect's ''kaisan-dō''. *''mi-dō'' (御堂) – a generic honorific term for a building which enshrines a sacred statue. *Miroku Nyorai (弥勒如来) – Japanese name of Maitreya. *'' mon'' (門) – a temple's gate, which can be named after its position (''nandaimon'': lit. "great southern gate"), its structure (''
nijūmon is one of two types of two-story gate presently used in Japan (the other one being the ''rōmon'', see photo in the gallery below), and can be found at most Japanese Buddhist temples. This gate is distinguishable from its relative by the roof ...
'': "two storied gate"), a deity (''
Niōmon is the Japanese name of a Buddhist temple gate guarded by two wooden warriors called Niō (lit. Two Kings). The gate is called Heng Ha Er Jiang (哼哈二将) in China and Geumgangmun (금강문) in Korea. The two statues are inside the two pos ...
'': lit. "''Nio'' gate"), or its use (''onarimon'': lit. "imperial visit gate", a gate reserved to the Emperor). The same gate can therefore be described using more than one term. For example, a ''Niōmon'' can at the same time be a ''nijūmon''. *''nandaimon'' (南大門) – the main southern gate of a temple, in particular that at Nara's
Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergo ...
. See also ''mon''. *''
nijūmon is one of two types of two-story gate presently used in Japan (the other one being the ''rōmon'', see photo in the gallery below), and can be found at most Japanese Buddhist temples. This gate is distinguishable from its relative by the roof ...
'' (二重門) – a two-storied gate with a roof surrounding the first floor. See also ''mon''. *''
Niōmon is the Japanese name of a Buddhist temple gate guarded by two wooden warriors called Niō (lit. Two Kings). The gate is called Heng Ha Er Jiang (哼哈二将) in China and Geumgangmun (금강문) in Korea. The two statues are inside the two pos ...
'' (仁王門 or 二王門) – a two-storied or high gate guarded by two wooden guardians called ''
Niō are two wrathful and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in East Asian Buddhism in the form of frightening wrestler-like statues. They are dharmapala manifestations of the bodhisattva Vajra ...
''. See also ''mon''. *noborirō (登廊) – a covered stairway at Nara's Hase-dera. *
pagoda A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...
 – see ''stupa'' and ''tō''. *'' rōmon'' (楼門) - a high gate with two floors, only one of which has usable space, surrounded by a balcony and topped by a roof. Buddhist in origin, it is used also in Shinto shrines. *''sai-dō'' (斎堂) – the refectory at a Zen temple or monastery. See also ''jiki-dō''. *''
sandō A in Japanese architecture is the road approaching either a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple.Iwanami Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version. Its point of origin is usually straddled in the first case by a Shinto ''torii'', in t ...
'' (参道)- the approach leading from a ''torii'' to a ''shrine''. The term is also used sometimes at Buddhist temples too. *''
sanmon A , also called , is the most important gate of a Japanese Zen Buddhist temple, and is part of the Zen '' shichidō garan'', the group of buildings that forms the heart of a Zen Buddhist temple.JAANUS It can be often found in temples of other de ...
'' (三門 or 山門) – the gate in front of the ''butsuden''. The name is short for , lit. ''Gate of the three liberations''. Its three openings (, and ) symbolize the three gates to enlightenment. Entering, one can free himself from three passions (貪 ''ton'', or greed, 瞋 ''shin'', or hatred, and 癡 ''chi'', or "foolishness"). See also ''mon''. Its size depends on the temple's rank. (See photos.) *''sanrō'' (山廊) – small buildings at the ends of a two-storied Zen gate containing the stairs to the second story. *''sekitō'' (石塔) – a stone ''pagoda'' (''stupa''). See also '' '' *''
shichidō garan ''Shichidō garan'' is a Japanese Buddhist term indicating the seven halls composing the ideal Buddhist temple compound. This compound word is composed of , literally meaning "seven halls", and , meaning "temple". The term is often shortened t ...
'' (七堂伽藍) – a double compound term literally meaning "seven halls" (七堂) and "(temple) buildings" (伽藍). What is counted in the group of seven buildings, or ''shichidō'', can vary greatly from temple to temple and from school to school. In practice, ''shichidō garan'' can also mean simply a large complex. **''Nanto Rokushū'' and later non-Zen schools: The ''shichidō garan'' in this case includes a ''kon-dō'', a ''tō'', a ''kō-dō'', a ''shōrō'', a ''jiki-dō'', a ''sōbō'', and a ''
kyōzō in Japanese Buddhist architecture is a repository for sūtras and chronicles of the temple history. It is also called , , or . In ancient times the ''kyōzō'' was placed opposite the belfry on the east–west axis of the temple. The earliest ex ...
''. **Zen schools: A Zen ''shichidō garan'' includes a ''butsuden'' or ''butsu-dō'', a ''hattō'', a ''ku'in'', a ''sō-dō'', a ''sanmon'', a ''tōsu'' and a ''yokushitsu''. *'' shoin'' (書院) – originally a study and a place for lectures on the ''sutra'' within a temple, later the term came to mean just a study. *''
shōrō The two main types of bell tower in Japan The or is the bell tower of a Buddhist temple in Japan, housing the temple's . It can also be found at some Shinto shrines which used to function as temples (see article '' Shinbutsu shūgō''), as ...
'' (鐘楼) – a temple's belfry, a building from which a bell is hung. *''sōbō'' (僧坊) – The monks' living quarters in a non-Zen garan *''sō-dō'' (僧堂) – Lit. "monk hall". A building dedicated to the practice of ''Zazen''. It used to be dedicated to all kinds of activities, from eating to sleeping, centered on zazen. *'' sōmon'' (総門) – the gate at the entrance of a temple. It precedes the bigger and more important ''sanmon''. See also ''mon''. *'' sōrin'' (相輪) – a spire reaching up from the center of the roof of some temple halls, tiered like a ''pagoda''. *''sotoba'' or sotōba (卒塔婆) – transliteration of the Sanskrit ''stupa''. **A ''pagoda''. Tower with an odd number of tiers (three, five, seven nine, or thirteen). See also ''stupa''. **Strips of wood left behind tombs during annual ceremonies (''tsuizen'') symbolizing a ''stupa''. The upper part is segmented like a ''pagoda'' and carries Sanskrit inscriptions, ''sutras'', and the ''kaimyō'' ( posthumous name) of the deceased. In present-day Japanese, ''sotoba'' usually has the latter meaning. *'' stupa'' – in origin a vessel for Buddha's relics, later also a receptacle for scriptures and other relics. Its shape changed in the Far East under the influence of the Chinese watchtower to form tower-like structures like the '' buttō'', the ''
gorintō ("five-ringed tower") is a Japanese type of Buddhist pagoda believed to have been first adopted by the Shingon and Tendai sects during the mid Heian period. It is used for memorial or funerary purposesKōjien Japanese Dictionary and is therefore ...
'', the '' hōkyōintō'', the ''sekitō'', the ''tō'', or the much simpler wooden stick-style ''sotoba''. *''tatchū'' (塔頭 or 塔中) **In Zen temples, a building containing a pagoda enshrining the ashes of an important priest stands. **Later, it became a subsidiary temple or a minor temple depending from a larger one. **Finally, it became also subsidiary temple being the family temple (''bodaiji'') of an important family. *
tahōtō A is a form of Japanese pagoda found primarily at Esoteric Shingon and Tendai school Buddhist temples. It is unique among pagodas because it has an even number of stories (two). (The second story has a balustrade and seems habitable, but ...
(多宝塔) – a two-storied ''
pagoda A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...
'' with a ground floor having a dome-shaped ceiling and a square pent roof, a round second floor and square roofs. *'' temizuya'' (手水舎) – a fountain near the entrance of a ''shrine'' and a temple where worshipers can cleanse their hands and mouths before worship. *''tesaki'' (手先) – Term used to count the roof-supporting brackets (''tokyō'' (斗きょう)) projecting from a temple's wall, usually composed of two steps (''futatesaki'' (二手先))) or three (''mitesaki'' 三津手先). *'' tokyō'' (斗きょう) – see ''tesaki''. *'' torii'' (鳥居)- the iconic Shinto gate at the entrance of a sacred area, usually, but not always, a ''shrine''. Shrines of various size can be found next to, or inside temples. *''
tōrō are a type of traditional East Asian lantern made of stone, wood, or metal. Originating in China, stone lanterns spread to Japan, Korea and Vietnam, though they are most commonly found in both China – extant in Buddhist temples and traditional ...
'' (灯籠) – a lantern at a ''shrine'' or Buddhist temple. Some of its forms are influenced by the ''gorintō''. *''- '' (塔) **A pagoda, and an evolution of the ''stupa''. After reaching China, the ''stupa'' evolved into a tower with an odd number of tiers (three, five, seven, nine, thirteen), excepted the ''tahōtō'', which has two. **The word is used together as a suffix of a numeral indicating the number of a pagoda's tiers (three tiers= san-jū-no-tō, five tiers= go-jū-no-tō, seven tiers = nana-jū-no-tō, etc.). *''tōsu'' or ''tōshi'' (東司) – a Zen monastery's toilet. *''Yakushi-dō'' (薬師堂) – a building that enshrines a statue of
Yakushi Bhaiṣajyaguru ( sa, भैषज्यगुरु, zh, t= , ja, 薬師仏, ko, 약사불, bo, སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་བླ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja ("Medicine Master ...
Nyorai.* *''yokushitsu*'' (浴室) – a monastery's bathroom. *'' zen-dō'' (禅堂) – lit. "hall of Zen". The building where monks practice ''zazen'', and one of the main structures of a Zen ''garan''.


Temple names

A temple's name ( or ) is usually made of three parts. The first is the , the second is the and the third is the .


''Sangō''

Even though they may be located at the bottom of a valley, temples are metaphorically called mountains and even the numbers used to count them carry the ending , hence the name ''sangō''. This tradition goes back to the times when temples were primarily monasteries purposely built in remote mountainous areas. The founding of a temple is called for this reason. No fixed rules for its formation exist, but the ''sangō'' is basically topographical in origin, as in Hieizan Enryaku-ji: these two names together mean "
Mount Hiei is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures, Japan. The temple of Enryaku-ji, the first outpost of the Japanese Tendai (Chin. Tiantai) sect of Buddhism, was founded atop Mount Hiei b ...
's
Enryaku-ji is a Tendai monastery located on Mount Hiei in Ōtsu, overlooking Kyoto. It was first founded in 788 during the early Heian period (794–1185) by Saichō (767–822), also known as Dengyō Daishi, who introduced the Tendai sect of Mahayan ...
". For this reason it is sometimes used as a personal name, particularly in
Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
. There may be however some other semantic relationship between the ''sangō'' and the ''san'in-jigō'', as for example in the case of Rurikōzan Yakushi-ji. The ''sangō'' and the ''jigō'' are simply different names of the same god. Sometimes the ''sangō'' and the ''jigō'' are both posthumous names, for example of the founder's mother and father.


''Ingō''

The character , which gives the ''ingō'' its name, originally indicated an enclosure or section and therefore, by analogy, it later came to mean a cloister in a monastery. It is in this sense which it is applied to temples or, more often, subtemples. It can be also found in the name of formerly minor temples risen by chance to great prominence. For example, Kawagoe's
Kita-in is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It is noted for its main hall, which was part of the original Edo Castle, and the statues of 540 Rakan, disciples of the Buddha. It is also known informally as ...
used to be one of three subtemples of a temple which no longer exist. Less frequent in an ''ingō'' are and . is normally used in the name of particular buildings of a temple's compound, e.g. Kannon-dō, but can be employed as a name of minor or small temples.


''Jigō''

The only name in common use is however the ''jigō'', (ending in ) which can then be considered the main one. The ''sangō'' and ''ingō'' are not, and never were, in common use. The character -''ji'' it contains is sometimes pronounced ''tera'' or ''dera'' as in Kiyomizu-dera, normally when the rest of the name is an indigenous name (''
kun'yomi are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are still used, along with the subsequen ...
'').


Unofficial names

Temples are sometimes known by an unofficial but popular name. This is usually topographical in origin, as for example in the case of Asakusa's
Sensō-ji is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism, it became independent after World War II. It is dedicated to Kan ...
, also known as Asakusa-dera. A temple can also be named after a special or famous characteristic, as for example in the case
Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin, Keihanshin metropolitan area along wi ...
's Saihō-ji, commonly called Koke-dera, or "moss temple" because of its famous moss garden. Unofficial names can have various other origins.


Gallery

File:Kozanji Temple (Shimonoseki).JPG,
Kōzan-ji , officially , is a Buddhist temple of the Omuro sect of Shingon Buddhism in Umegahata Toganōchō, Ukyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. Kōzan-ji is also known as Kōsan-ji and Toganō-dera. The temple was founded by the Shingon scholar and monk Myōe ( ...
's ''Butsuden'' in Shimonoseki File:Motoyamaji-Chinjyudou.jpg, Motoyama-ji's ''chinjū-dō'' File:Chohoji06s3200.jpg, Chōhō-ji's ''chinjū-dō'' File:Horyu-ji03s3200.jpg, ''Chūmon'' at
Hōryū-ji is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is , or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving as both a seminary and monastery. The temple was ...
File:Kenninji Kyoto06n4272.jpg, Kennin-ji's ''hattō'' File:Todaiji_hokkedo.jpg,
Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergo ...
's ''Hokke-dō'' File:Jingoji Kyoto Kyoto14s5s4592.jpg,
Jingo-ji is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto. It stands on Mount Takao to the northwest of the center of the city. The temple adheres to Shingon Buddhism. Its principal image is a statue of Bhaisajyaguru (''Yakushi Nyorai''), the Buddha of Healing or "Medicin ...
's ''honbō'' File:TofukujiHondo.jpg, Tōfuku-ji's ''hon-dō'' File:Engyoji17s4592.jpg,
Engyō-ji The is a temple of the Tendai sect in Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan. History It was founded by Shoku Shonin in 966. The complex of buildings is at the top of Mt Shosha approximately 25 minutes by bus from Himeji Station. The mountain summit can be ...
's ''jiki-dō'' File:薬師寺回廊.jpg, Yakushi-ji's ''kairō'' File:TofukujiKaisando.jpg, Tōfuku-ji's ''kaisan-dō'' File:Hogonji00bs3872.jpg, Hōgon-ji's ''karamon'' File:Shitennoj honbo garden06s3200.jpg,
Shitennō-ji Shitennō-ji ( ja, 四天王寺, ''Temple of the Four Heavenly Kings'') is a Buddhist temple in Ōsaka, Japan. It is also known as Arahaka-ji, Nanba-ji, or Mitsu-ji. The temple is sometimes regarded as the first Buddhist and oldest officially-a ...
's ''karesansui'' File:Katoumado.jpg, A ''katōmado'' File:Tofukuji-Sanmon-M9589.jpg, Tōfuku-ji's ''sanmon'' is 5 ''ken'' wide. File:Toshodaiji Nara Nara pref05n4320.jpg, ''Kō-dō'' at
Tōshōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple of the Risshū sect in the city of Nara, in Nara Prefecture, Japan. The Classic Golden Hall, also known as the '' kondō'', has a single story, hipped tiled roof with a seven bay wide facade. It is considered the archety ...
File:Toshodaiji Nara Nara pref01s5s4290.jpg, ''Kon-dō'' at Tōshōdai-ji File:Komyoji Corridor near Pond Kamakura.jpg, A ''konrō'' File:Kyoto Toji Mieido C0973.jpg, ''Miei-dō'' at Tō-ji File:Horyu-ji02s3200.jpg, ''Nandaimon'' at Hōryū-ji File:Hasedera Noborirou.jpg, The ''noborirō'' at Nara's '' Hase-dera'' File:Koumyouji5501.JPG, ''Nijūmon'' at
Kōmyō-ji Kōmyō-ji ( ja, 光明寺, link=no,) is the name of numerous Buddhist temples in Japan and other East Asian communities, and may refer to: *Kōmyō-ji (Ayabe), a temple in Ayabe, Kyoto Prefecture; see List of National Treasures of Japan (temples ...
in
Ayabe is a Cities of Japan, city located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 31,082 in 13660 households and a population density of 90 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Ayabe is situated in th ...
. File:Ishiteji 04.JPG, Ishite-ji's ''
niōmon is the Japanese name of a Buddhist temple gate guarded by two wooden warriors called Niō (lit. Two Kings). The gate is called Heng Ha Er Jiang (哼哈二将) in China and Geumgangmun (금강문) in Korea. The two statues are inside the two pos ...
'' File:Yakushiji-MF007-0069.jpg, (East) Pagoda at Yakushi-ji in Nara File:Enjoji Nara14sb3200.jpg,
Enjō-ji is a Shingon temple in the northeast of Nara, Japan. A number of its buildings and images have been designated National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, and its late-Heian period gardens are a Place of Scenic Beauty. History ...
's ''rōmon'' File:Stone stairway Kiyomizu-dera.JPG, Kiyomizu-dera's ''sandō'' File:Chionin35n3200.jpg, A high rank, five-bay ''sanmon'' at
Chion-in in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan is the headquarters of the Jōdo-shū (Pure Land Sect) founded by Hōnen (1133–1212), who proclaimed that sentient beings are reborn in Amida Buddha's Western Paradise (Pure Land) by reciting the '' nembutsu'', ...
. Note the ''sanrō''. File:Myotsuji Sanmon 1.jpg, A middle rank, three-bay ''sanmon'' at Myōtsū-ji File:Sozenji (Higashiyodogawa, Osaka) sanmon.jpg, A low rank ''sanmon'' at Sozen-ji in Osaka File:Tofukiji-Sanro.jpg, The ''sanrō'' of Tōfuku-ji's ''sanmon''. (See also the ''sanmons photo above.) File:Eikando Somon.jpg, Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji's ''sōmon'' File:Negoroji03s3200.jpg, Negoro-ji's large ''sōrin'' (metal spire) on top of a ''daitō'' (large tahōtō) File:Saifukuji09s3872.jpg, Saifuku-ji's ''shoin'' File:Todaiji shoro.jpg,
Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergo ...
's ''shōrō'' (an early type) File:Saidaiji-M6662.jpg, Saidai-ji's ''shōrō'' (a later type) File:Kongosanmaiin Tahoto.JPG, Kongō Sanmai-in's ''tahōtō'' (''nijū-no-tō'') File:Ichijoji Kasai13bs4272.jpg, Ichijō-ji's three-tiered pagoda (''sanjū-no-tō'') File:Zentsu-ji Temple Five-storied Pagoda 001.jpg, Zentsū-ji's five-tiered pagoda (''gojū-no-tō'') File:Mii-dera Otsu Shiga pref27n4592.jpg,
Mii-dera , formally called , is a Buddhist temple in Japan located at the foot of Mount Hiei, in the city of Ōtsu in Shiga Prefecture. It is a short distance from both Kyoto, and Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake. The head temple of the Jimon sect ...
's ''temizuya'' File:Futatesaki2.jpg, Brackets (''tokyō'', ''futatesaki'' in this case) under the eaves of a ''sanmon's'' roof. File:Oyake-ji_01.jpg, A ''torii'' on a temple's (Oyake-ji) ''sandō'' File:Enryakuji Tenhorindo02n4272.jpg,
Enryaku-ji is a Tendai monastery located on Mount Hiei in Ōtsu, overlooking Kyoto. It was first founded in 788 during the early Heian period (794–1185) by Saichō (767–822), also known as Dengyō Daishi, who introduced the Tendai sect of Mahayan ...
's ''shaka-dō'' File:Toufuku-ji tousu.JPG, Tōfuku-ji's ''tōsu'' File:Jodoji Ono Hyogo04n3200.jpg, Jōdo-ji's ''yakushi-dō'' File:Myoshinji-DSC1246.jpg,
Myōshin-ji is a temple complex in Kyoto, Japan, and head temple of the associated branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. The Myōshin-ji school is by far the largest school in Rinzai Zen, approximately as big as the other thirteen branches combined: it contains wit ...
's ''yokushitsu'' (the temple's baths) File:TofukujiZendo.jpg, Tōfuku-ji's ''zen-dō'' File:Honmyoji Temple Jochibyo.jpg, Gate at Jōchibyō, the grave of
Katō Kiyomasa was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Azuchi–Momoyama and Edo periods. His court title was Higo-no-kami. His name as a child was ''Yashamaru'', and first name was ''Toranosuke''. He was one of Hideyoshi's Seven Spears of Shizugatake. Biography ...
at
Honmyō-ji is a Buddhist temples in Japan, Buddhist temple of the Nichiren sect, Rokujōmon-ryū (六条門流), in Nishi-ku, Kumamoto, Japan. It is the most high-ranking temple of the sect in Kyushu. In Honmyō-ji is the grave of Katō Kiyomasa, (1562– ...
, Kumamoto File:Rakan Temple 01.jpg, Rakan-ji's ''Sanmon'' in Nakatsu


See also

* Buddhism in Japan *
Buddhist art Buddhist art is visual art produced in the context of Buddhism. It includes depictions of Gautama Buddha and other Buddhas and bodhisattvas, notable Buddhist figures both historical and mythical, narrative scenes from their lives, mandalas, an ...
* Buddhist architecture *
Glossary of Japanese Buddhism This is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual (or brand-new) 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 galle ...
* Japanese art * List of Buddhist temples * List of National Treasures of Japan (temples) * Senjafuda *
Terakoya were private educational institutions that taught reading and writing to the children of Japanese commoners during the Edo period. History The first ''terakoya'' made their appearance at the beginning of the 17th century, as a development from ...


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * *Sansom, George (1962). "Japan: A Short Cultural History." New York: Appleton-Century Crofts, Inc. *


Further reading

*


External links


Japanese Temples
Guide to over 190 with pictures and map.

With photos.

by Tokushi Yusho. Brief history of temples in Kyoto by a Japanese scholar (English Translation) {{DEFAULTSORT:Buddhist Temples In Japan ja:寺院