Examples of Buddhist architecture in Japan
Japanese Buddhist architecture is the architecture of
Buddhist temples in Japan
Buddhist temples or monasteries are (along with Shinto shrines) the most numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.The term "Shinto shrine" is used in contrast to "Buddhist temple" to mirror the distinction made in Japanese bet ...
, consisting of locally developed variants of architectural styles born in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
.
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/ref> After Buddhism
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
arrived from the continent via the Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea or Samhan (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla) competed for hegemony over the Korea, Korean Peninsula during the ancient period of History of Korea, Korean history. During the Three Kingdoms period (), many states and statele ...
in the 6th century, an effort was initially made to reproduce the original buildings as faithfully as possible, but gradually local versions of continental styles were developed both to meet Japanese tastes and to solve problems posed by local weather, which is more rainy and humid than in China. The first Buddhist sects were Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...
's six ,[The six sects were called Sanron-, Jōjitsu-, Hossō-, Kusha-, Ritsu-, and Kegon-shū.] followed during the Heian period by Kyoto
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
's Shingon
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asian Buddhism. It is a form of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism and is sometimes called "Tōmitsu" (東密 lit. "Esoteric uddhismof Tō- ...
and Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Dharma Flower School (天台法華宗, ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just ''Hokkeshū''), is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition with significant esoteric elements that was officially established in Japan in 806 by t ...
. Later, during the Kamakura period
The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...
, in Kamakura
, officially , is a city of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 people per km2 over the tota ...
were born the Jōdo and the native Japanese sect Nichiren-shū
is a combination of several schools ranging from four of the original Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhist schools that date back to Nichiren's original disciples, and part of the fifth:
Overview
The school is often referred to as the Minob ...
. At roughly the same time, Zen
Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...
Buddhism arrived from China, strongly influencing all other sects in many ways, including in architecture. The social composition of Buddhism's followers also changed radically with time. Beginning as an elite religion, it slowly spread from the nobility to warriors and merchants, and finally to the population at large. On the technical side, new woodworking tools like the framed pit saw[For an image of a framed pit saw, se]
here
/ref> and the plane allowed new architectural solutions.
Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines share their basic characteristics and often differ only in details that the non-specialist may not notice. This similarity is because the sharp division between Buddhist temples and Shinto shrine
A Stuart D. B. Picken, 1994. p. xxiii is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more kami, , the deities of the Shinto religion.
The Also called the . is where a shrine's patron is or are enshrined.Iwanami Japanese dic ...
s[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 .] is recent, dating to the Meiji period
The was an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonizatio ...
's policy of separation of Buddhism and Shinto
, also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...
(Shinbutsu bunri
The Japanese term indicates the separation of Shinto from Buddhism, introduced after the Meiji Restoration which separated Shinto ''kami'' from buddhas, and also Buddhist temples from Shinto shrines, which were originally amalgamated. It is a ...
) of 1868. Before the Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...
it was common for a Buddhist temple to be built inside or next to a shrine, or for a shrine to include Buddhist sub-temples.[See Shinbutsu shūgō article] If a shrine housed a Buddhist temple, it was called a . Analogously, temples all over Japan used to adopt tutelary ''kami
are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...
'' ( and built shrines within their precincts to house them. After the forcible separation of temples and shrines ordered by the new government, the connection between the two religions was officially severed, but continued nonetheless in practice and is still visible today.
Buddhist architecture in Japan during the country's whole history has absorbed much of the best available natural and human resources. Particularly between the 8th and the 16th centuries, it led the development of new structural and ornamental features. For these reasons, its history is vital to the understanding of not only Buddhist architecture itself, but also of Japanese art in general.
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General features
Buddhist architecture in Japan is not native, but was imported from China and other Asian cultures over the centuries with such constancy that the building styles of all Six Dynasties
Six Dynasties (; 220–589 or 222–589) is a collective term for six Han-ruled Chinese dynasties that existed from the early 3rd century AD to the late 6th century AD, between the end of the Eastern Han dynasty and the beginning of the Sui ...
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 solar goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami and the grain goddess Toyouke-hime (Toyouke Omikami). Also known simply as , Ise Shrine is a shrine complex composed of many Shi ...
, 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 nonetheless be found. 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 a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, 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 some ...
foundations.
The general structure is almost always the same: column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...
s and lintel
A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented/structural item. In the case ...
s support a large and gently curved roof, while the walls are paper-thin, often movable and in any case non-carrying. 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
The eaves are the edges of the roof which overhang the face of a wall and, normally, project beyond the side of a building. The eaves form an overhang to throw water clear of the walls and may be highly decorated as part of an architectural sty ...
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 the ...
, 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.
History
Beginnings – Asuka and Nara periods
Buddhism is not a Japanese native religion, and its architecture arrived from the continent via Korea together with the first Buddhists in the 6th century. Officially adopted in the wake of the Battle of Shigisan in 587, after that date Buddhist temples began to be constructed. Because of the hostility of supporters of local ''kami'' beliefs towards Buddhism, no temple of that period survives, so we don't know what they were like.
Garan
/ref> Thanks to the Nihon Shoki
The or , sometimes translated as ''The Chronicles of Japan'', is the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the , the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeol ...
, however, we do know that an architect, six Buddhist priests and an image maker from the Korean kingdom of Paekche
Baekje or Paekche (; ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BCE to 660 CE. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. While the three kingdoms were in separate existence, Baekje had the h ...
came to Japan in 577 to advise the Japanese on the arrangement of monastic buildings. The layout of Ōsaka's Shitennō-ji (see below) reflects the plan of Chongyimsa temple in Buyeo
Buyeo (; ; ), also rendered as Puyŏ or Fuyu, was an ancient kingdom that was centered in northern Manchuria in modern-day northeast China. It had ties to the Yemaek people, who are considered to be the ancestors of modern Koreans. Buyeo is ...
, capital of Paekche
Baekje or Paekche (; ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BCE to 660 CE. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. While the three kingdoms were in separate existence, Baekje had the h ...
from 538 to 663. We know for certain that Soga no Umako
was the son of Soga no Iname and a member of the powerful Soga clan of Japan. Conflicting evidence has suggested that Soga no Umako was actually an emperor during the Asuka period.
Umako conducted political reforms with Prince Shōtoku during t ...
built Hōkō-ji, the first temple in Japan, between 588 and 596. It was later renamed as Asuka-dera for Asuka, the name of the capital where it was located. Prince Shōtoku
, 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 the son of Emperor Yōmei and his consort, Princess Anahobe no Hashihito, who was also Yōmei's younger half ...
actively promoted Buddhism and ordered the construction of Shitennō-ji in Osaka
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
(593) and Hōryū-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in Ikaruga, Nara, Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Built shortly after Buddhism was introduced to Japan, it is also one of the oldest Buddh ...
near his palace in Ikaruga (completed in 603).
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/ref> During this period, temple layout was strictly prescribed and followed mainland styles, with a main gate facing south and the most sacred area surrounded by a semi-enclosed roofed corridor (''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 temples in Japan, Buddhist temple, a zone which contained the ''Main Hall (Japanese Buddhism), ...
'') accessible through a middle gate (''chūmon''). The sacred precinct contained a pagoda
A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, 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 some ...
, which acted as a reliquary for sacred objects, and a main hall (''kon-dō''). The complex might have other structures such as a lecture hall (''kō-dō''), a belfry
The belfry /ˈbɛlfri/ is a structure enclosing bells for ringing as part of a building, usually as part of a bell tower or steeple. It can also refer to the entire tower or building, particularly in continental Europe for such a tower attached ...
(''shōrō
The two main types of bell tower in Japan
The or is the bell tower of a Buddhist temples in Japan, 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 ' ...
''), a ''sūtra
''Sutra'' ()Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aphorism or a collection of aphorisms in the form of a manual or, more broadly, a ...
'' repository (''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 shōrō, belfry on the east–west axis of the temple. The ea ...
''), priests' and monks' quarters and bathhouses.
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/ref> The ideal temple had a heart formed by seven structures called ''shichidō garan
''Shichidō garan'' is a Buddhism in Japan, Japanese Buddhist term indicating the seven Dō (architecture), halls composing the ideal Buddhist temple compound. This compound word is composed of , literally meaning "seven halls", and , meaning " ...
'', or "seven hall temple". Buddhism, and the construction of temples, spread from the capital to outlying areas in the Hakuhō period
The was an unofficial of Emperor TenmuNussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Hakuhō''" in ; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, ''see'Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File. after '' Hakuchi'' and before '' Such ...
from 645 to 710. In addition, many temples were built in locations favored by the precepts of Chinese geomancy
Geomancy, a compound of Greek roots denoting "earth divination", was originally used to mean methods of divination that interpret geographic features, markings on the ground, or the patterns formed by soil, rock (geology), rocks, or sand. Its d ...
. The arrangements not only of the buildings, groups of trees and ponds of the compound, but also of mountains and other geographic features in particular directions around the temple played important roles as well.
The Chinese five elements school of thought believed that many natural phenomena naturally fell under five categories.
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/ref> Six groups of five categories were established as a rule to the building of edifices.
A palace for a new prince would for example be placed east to symbolize birth, and yellow tiles would be used for the imperial palace to symbolize power.
The five elements theory is also the basis of the '' gorintō'', an extremely common stone ''stupa
In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...
'' whose invention is attributed to Kūkai
, born posthumously called , was a Japanese Buddhist monk, calligrapher, and poet who founded the Vajrayana, esoteric Shingon Buddhism, Shingon school of Buddhism. He travelled to China, where he studied Tangmi (Chinese Vajrayana Buddhism) und ...
. Its five sections (a cube, a sphere, a pyramid, a crescent and a lotus-shaped cusp) stand each for one of the five elements.
Chinese numerology also played an important role. According to the Yin-Yang school, which started in about 305 BC, ''Yang'' stood for the sun, warmth, maleness and odd numbers, while ''Yin'' stood for their opposites. In groups of buildings, therefore, halls occurred in odd numbers because halls themselves were believed to be ''Yang''. Being ''Yang'', odd numbers in general are considered positive and lucky, and Buddhism shows a preference for odd numbers. In the case of storied pagodas, either in stone or wood, the number of stories is almost always odd. Practically all wooden pagodas have either three or five-stories. Specimen with a different number of stories used to exist, but none has survived.
Because of fire, earthquakes, typhoons and wars, few of those ancient temples still exist. Hōryū-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in Ikaruga, Nara, Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Built shortly after Buddhism was introduced to Japan, it is also one of the oldest Buddh ...
, rebuilt after a fire in 670, is the only one still possessing 7th-century structures, the oldest extant wooden buildings in the world.
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Unlike early ''kami'' worship shrines, early Buddhist temples were highly ornamental and strictly symmetrical
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/ref> (see reconstruction of Asuka-dera above). Starting with Hōryū-ji in the late 7th century, temples began to move towards irregular ground plans that resulted in an asymmetric arrangement of buildings, greater use of natural materials such as cypress bark instead of roof tiling, and an increased awareness of natural environment with the placement of buildings among trees. This adaptation was assisted by the syncretism of ''kami'' and Buddhism, which through Japanese traditional nature worship gave Buddhism a greater attention to natural surroundings.
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/ref>
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/ref>
During the first half of the 8th century, Emperor Shōmu
was the 45th Emperor of Japan, emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 聖武天皇 (45)/ref> according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 749, duri ...
decreed temples and nunneries be erected in each province and that Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan. The construction of the temple was an attempt to imitate Chinese temples from the much-admir ...
be built as a headquarters for the network of temples.
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/ref>
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/ref> The head temple was inaugurated in 752 and was of monumental dimensions with two seven-storied pagodas, each ca. tall and a Great Buddha Hall (''daibutsuden'') about . Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capita ...
Buddhism was characterised by seven influential state supported temples, the so-called ''Nanto Shichi Daiji
Nanto Shichi Daiji (南都七大寺), literally "the seven great temples of the southern capital (meaning the city of Nara)", is a historical common name generally referring to the powerful and influential seven Buddhist temples located in the Na ...
''.
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/ref> Octagonal structures such as the Hall of Dreams at Hōryū-ji built as memorial halls and storehouses exemplified by the Shōsōin
The is the wikt:treasure house, treasure house of Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan. The building is in the ''azekura'' (log-cabin) style with a raised floor. It lies to the northwest of the Great Buddha Hall. The Shōsō-in houses arti ...
first appeared during the Nara period.
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/ref> Temple structures, such as pagodas and main halls, had increased significantly in size since the late 6th century. The placement of the pagoda moved to a more peripheral location and the roof bracketing system increased in complexity as roofs grew larger and heavier.
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/ref>
Another early effort to reconcile ''kami'' worship and Buddhism was made in the 8th century during the Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capita ...
with the founding of the so-called , or "shrine-temples".[Satō Makoto] The use in a Shinto shrine of Buddhist religious objects was believed to be necessary since the ''kami'' were lost beings in need of liberation through the power of Buddha. ''Kami'' were thought to be subject to karma
Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively called ...
and reincarnation like human beings, and early Buddhist stories tell how the task of helping suffering ''kami'' was assumed by wandering monks. A local ''kami'' would appear in a dream to the monk, telling him about his suffering. To improve the ''kami's'' karma through rites and the reading of sutras, the monk would build a temple next to the ''kami's'' shrine. Such groupings were created already in the 7th century, for example in Usa, Kyūshū, where kami
are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...
Hachiman
In Japanese religion, ''Yahata'' (八幡神, ancient Shinto pronunciation) formerly in Shinto and later commonly known as Hachiman (八幡神, Japanese Buddhist pronunciation) is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements f ...
was worshiped together with Miroku Bosatsu (Maitreya
Maitreya (Sanskrit) or Metteyya (Pali), is a bodhisattva who is regarded as the future Buddhahood, Buddha of this world in all schools of Buddhism, prophesied to become Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha.Williams, Paul. ''Mahayana Buddhism: Th ...
) at Usa Hachiman-gū.
At the end of the same century, in what is considered the second stage of the amalgamation, the ''kami'' Hachiman
In Japanese religion, ''Yahata'' (八幡神, ancient Shinto pronunciation) formerly in Shinto and later commonly known as Hachiman (八幡神, Japanese Buddhist pronunciation) is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements f ...
was declared to be protector-deity of the Dharma
Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...
and a little bit later a bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, '' bodhi'' ('awakening', 'enlightenment') or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or ''bodhi'' in ...
. Shrines for him started to be built at temples, marking an important step ahead in the process of amalgamation of ''kami'' and Buddhist cults. When the great Buddha at Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan. The construction of the temple was an attempt to imitate Chinese temples from the much-admir ...
in Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...
was built, within the temple grounds was also erected a shrine for Hachiman, according to the legend because of a wish expressed by the ''kami'' himself. This coexistence of Buddhism and ''kami'' worship, in religion as well as architecture, continued until the of 1868.[Mark Teeuwen in ''Breen and Teeuwen'' (2000:95–96)]
Heian period
During the Heian period Buddhism became even more infused with Japanese elements: It met and assimilated local beliefs concerning ghosts and spirits (the so-called ''onrei'' and'' mitama
The Japanese word refers to the spirit of a ''kami'' or the soul of a dead person. It is composed of two characters, the first of which, , is simply an honorific. The second, means "spirit". The character pair 神霊, also read ''mitama'', is ...
''), developing traits close to magic and sorcery which allowed it to penetrate a wide spectrum of social classes. Its merging with indigenous religious belief was then accelerated by the systematization of the syncretism
Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various school of thought, schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or religious assimilation, assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the ...
of Buddhism and local religious beliefs (see the article on 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, which claimed that Japanese ''kami'' were simply Buddhist gods under a different name). It was in this kind of environment that Fujiwara no Michinaga
was a Japanese statesman. The Fujiwara clan's control over Japan and its politics reached its zenith under his leadership.
Early life
Michinaga was born in Kyōto, the son of Kaneie. Kaneie had become Regent in 986, holding the position unt ...
and retired Emperor Shirakawa
was the 72nd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 白河天皇 (72)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087.
Genealogy
Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum T ...
competed in erecting new temples, in the process giving birth to the Jōdo-kyō[Jōdokyō, or Pure Land Buddhism, was a form of Buddhism which strongly influenced the Shingon and Tendai sects, later becoming an independent sect.] architecture and the new ''wayō'' architectural style.
The early 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 Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...
(9th–10th century) saw an evolution of styles based on the esoteric
Western esotericism, also known as the Western mystery tradition, is a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas and currents are united since they are largely distinct both from orthod ...
sects Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Dharma Flower School (天台法華宗, ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just ''Hokkeshū''), is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition with significant esoteric elements that was officially established in Japan in 806 by t ...
and Shingon
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asian Buddhism. It is a form of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism and is sometimes called "Tōmitsu" (東密 lit. "Esoteric uddhismof Tō- ...
. These two sects followed faithfully the Nanto Rokushū architectonic tradition in the plains, but in mountainous areas developed an original style. This development was facilitated by the syncretic fusion of foreign Buddhism with local mountain worship cults. Called to distinguish it from imported Chinese styles, it was characterized by simplicity, refrain from ornamentation, use of natural timber and in general plain materials. Structurally, it was distinguished by: a main hall divided in two parts; an outer area for novices and an inner area for initiates; a hip-and-gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
roof covering both areas; a raised wooden floor instead of the tile or stone floors of earlier temples; extended eaves to cover the front steps; shingles
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster or zona, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area. Typically the rash occurs in a single, wide mark either on the left or right side of the body or face. T ...
or bark rather than tile roofing; and a disposition of the ''garan'' adapting to the natural environment, and not following the traditional symmetrical layouts.
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/ref> The ''tahōtō
A is a form of Japanese pagoda found primarily at Vajrayana, Esoteric Shingon and Tendai school Buddhist temples in Japan, Buddhist temples. It is unique among pagodas because it has an even number of stories (two). (The second story has ...
'', a two-storied tower with some resemblance to Indian stupa
In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...
s, was also introduced by these sects during this period.
p=17
/ref> According to an ancient Buddhist prophecy, the world would enter a dark period called Mappō
The Decline of the Dharma or Ages of the Dharma, refers to traditional Buddhist accounts of how the Buddhism, Buddhist religion and the Buddha's teaching (Dharma) is believed to decline throughout history. It constitutes a key aspect of Buddhist ...
in 1051. During this period the Tendai sect believed that enlightenment was possible only through the veneration of Amida Buddha. Consequently, many so-called Paradise (or Amida) Halls—such as the Phoenix Hall at Byōdō-in
is a Buddhist temple in the city of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, built in the late Heian period. It is jointly a temple of the Jōdo-shū (Pure Land) and Tendai-shū (Heavenly Level) sects.
History
This temple was originally built ...
(1053), the Main Hall of Jōruri-ji (1157) and the Golden Hall at Chūson-ji
is a Buddhist temple in the town of Hiraizumi in southern Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It is the head temple of the Tendai sect in Tōhoku region of northern Honshu. The temple claims it was founded in 850 by Ennin, the third chief abbot of the se ...
(1124)—were built by the Imperial Family or members of the aristocracy to recreate the western paradise of Amida on earth.
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/ref>
p=19
/ref>
p=56
/ref>
p=18
/ref> Amida Halls that enshrined the nine statues of Amida were popular during the 12th century (late Heian period). The Main Hall of Jōruri-ji is however the only example of such a hall still extant.
p=49
/ref>
Kamakura and Muromachi periods
The Kamakura period
The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...
(1185–1333) brought to power the warrior caste, which expressed in its religious architecture its necessities and tastes. The influential Zen
Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...
arrived in Japan from China, and the Jōdō sect achieved independence. In architecture this period is characterized by the birth of fresh and rational designs.
The and the emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century.
The first, introduced by the priest Chōgen, was based on Song dynasty
The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
architecture and represented the antithesis of the simple and traditional ''wayō'' style. The Nandaimon at Tōdai-ji and the Amida Hall at Jōdo-ji are the only extant examples of this style.
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/ref>
p=20
/ref> Originally called , because it had nothing to do with India it was rechristened by scholar Ōta Hirotarō during the 20th century, and the new term stuck.
/ref> Ōta derived the name from Chōgen's work, particularly Tōdai-ji's Daibutsuden.
The Zen style was originally called and, like the Daibutsu style, was rechristened by Ōta. Its characteristics are earthen floors, subtly curved pent roofs (''mokoshi
In Japanese architecture , literally "skirt storey" or "cuff storey", is a decorative pent roof surrounding a building below the true roof. Since it does not correspond to any internal division, the ''mokoshi'' gives the impression of there bein ...
'') and pronouncedly curved main roofs, cusped windows ('' katōmado'') and paneled doors.
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/ref> Examples of this style include the belfry at Tōdai-ji, the Founder's Hall at Eihō-ji and the Shariden at Engaku-ji
, or Engaku-ji (円覚寺), is one of the most important Zen Buddhist temple complexes in Japan and is ranked second among Kamakura's Five Mountains. It is situated in the city of Kamakura, in Kanagawa Prefecture to the south of Tokyo.
Founded ...
. The Zen ''garan'' usually does not have a pagoda
A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, 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 some ...
and, when it does, it is relegated to a peripheral position.
These three styles we have seen (''wayō'', ''daibutsuyō'' and zen'yō) were often combined during the Muromachi period
The , also known as the , is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate ( or ), which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi ...
(1336–1573), giving birth to the so-called , exemplified by the main hall at Kakurin-ji. The combination of ''wayō'' and ''daibutsuyō'' in particular became so frequent that sometimes it is called by scholars . By the end of the Muromachi period (late 16th century), Japanese Buddhist architecture had reached its apogee. Construction methods had been perfected and building types conventionalized.
Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods
After the turbulence of the Sengoku period
The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...
and the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868.
The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...
in 1603, old temples like Hieizan, Tō-ji
, also known as is a Shingon Buddhist temple in the Minami-ku, Kyoto, Minami-ku ward of Kyoto, Japan.
Founded in 796, Tō-ji Temple was one of the only three Buddhist temples allowed in the city at the time it became the capital of Japan. As s ...
and Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan. The construction of the temple was an attempt to imitate Chinese temples from the much-admir ...
lost their power and the schools of Buddhism were surpassed in influence by the Nichiren-shū
is a combination of several schools ranging from four of the original Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhist schools that date back to Nichiren's original disciples, and part of the fifth:
Overview
The school is often referred to as the Minob ...
and Jōdo-shū
Jōdo-shū (浄土宗, "The Pure Land School"), is a Japanese branch of Pure Land Buddhism derived from the teachings of the Kamakura era monk Hōnen (1133–1212). The school is traditionally considered as having been established in 1175 and i ...
. The Edo period was an era of unprecedented building fervor in religious architecture. The number of faithful coming for prayer or pilgrimage had increased, so designs changed to take into account their necessities, and efforts were made to catch their ears and eyes. Old sects limited themselves to revive old styles and ideas, while the new relied on huge spaces and complex designs. Both, in spite of their differences, have in common a reliance on splendor and excess. Early pre-modern temples were saved from monotony by elaborate structural details, the use of undulating '' karahafu'' gables and the use of buildings of monumental size. While structural design tended to become gradually more rational and efficient, the surface of religious edifices did the opposite, growing more elaborate and complex. After the middle Edo period
The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...
, passed its zenith, religious architecture ended up just repeating told ideas, losing its innovative spirit and entering its final decline.
Representative examples for the Momoyama (1568–1603) and Edo period
The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...
(1603–1868) temple architecture are the Karamon at Hōgon-ji and the main hall of Kiyomizu-dera
is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
The temple was established in 778, during the late Nara period, by Enchin Shonin, who ...
, respectively.
Meiji period
In 1868 the government enacted its policy of separation of Buddhas and ''kami'' called Shinbutsu bunri
The Japanese term indicates the separation of Shinto from Buddhism, introduced after the Meiji Restoration which separated Shinto ''kami'' from buddhas, and also Buddhist temples from Shinto shrines, which were originally amalgamated. It is a ...
,[Encyclopedia of Shinto – Haibutsu Kishaku]
accessed on March 15, 2008 with catastrophic consequences for the architecture of both temples and shrines. Until that time, the syncretism of ''kami
are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...
'' and buddhas had posed little problem, and brought a measure of harmony between the adherents of the two religions, and under the syncretic system, many customs evolved that are still in practice and are best understood under the syncretic context. Because many structures became illegal where they stood, such as Buddhist pagodas within the precincts of Shinto shrines, they had to be destroyed, according to the letter of the law. An estimated 30,000 Buddhist structures were demolished between 1868 and 1874. Buddhism eventually made a recovery in many parts of the country, yet in others, most notably in Kagoshima prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands. Kagoshima Prefecture has a population of 1,527,019 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 9,187 Square kilometre, km2 (3,547 Square m ...
, there is still a near absence of Buddhist structures.
Common temple features
*''Butsuden
Main hall or Main Temple is the building within a Japanese Buddhist monastery compound ('' garan'') which enshrines the main object of veneration.Kōjien Japanese dictionary Because the various denominations deliberately use different terms, thi ...
'' or (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 3x3 or 5x5 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. Tut ...
'' (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''.
*dō (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
, also known as the Tendai Dharma Flower School (天台法華宗, ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just ''Hokkeshū''), is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition with significant esoteric elements that was officially established in Japan in 806 by t ...
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.
*''jiki-dō'' (食堂) – dining hall in ancient temples.[Japanese Encyclopedia Britannica](_blank)
/ref> See also ''sai-dō''.
*''honbō'' (本坊) – residence of the ''jushoku'', or head priest, of a temple.
*''kairō'' (回廊・廻廊) – a long and roofed portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
-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'' (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'' (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 or Main Temple is the building within a Buddhist temples in Japan, Japanese Buddhist monastery compound (''shichidō garan, garan'') which enshrines the main object of veneration.Kōjien Japanese dictionary Because the various Schools o ...
'' (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 9x7 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''.
*''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 shōrō, belfry on the east–west axis of the temple. The ea ...
'' (経蔵) – lit. "scriptures deposit". Repository of sūtra
''Sutra'' ()Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aphorism or a collection of aphorisms in the form of a manual or, more broadly, a ...
s 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
Maitreya (Sanskrit) or Metteyya (Pali), is a bodhisattva who is regarded as the future Buddhahood, Buddha of this world in all schools of Buddhism, prophesied to become Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha.Williams, Paul. ''Mahayana Buddhism: Th ...
.
*''mon'' (門) – a temple's gate, which can be named after its position (''nandaimon'': lit. "great southern gate"), its structure ('' nijūmon'': "two storied gate"), a deity ('' Niōmon'': 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
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...
's Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan. The construction of the temple was an attempt to imitate Chinese temples from the much-admir ...
. See also ''mon''.
*'' nijūmon'' (二重門) – a two-storied gate with a roof surrounding the first floor. See also ''mon''.
*''Niōmon'' (仁王門 or 二王門) – a two-storied or high gate guarded by two wooden guardians called '' Niō''. See also ''mon''.
*noborirō (登廊) – a covered stairway at Nara's Hasedera.
*pagoda
A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, 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 some ...
– see ''stupa'' and ''tō''.
*''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 temples in Japan, Buddhist temple.Iwanami Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version. Its point of origin is usually straddled in the first case ...
'' (参道)- the approach leading from a ''torii'' to a ''shrine''. The term is also used sometimes at Buddhist temples too.
*''sanmon
A or is the most important mon 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 denominations ...
'' (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 ''tō
Multi-storied pagodas in wood and stone, and a ''gorintō''
Pagodas in Japan are called , sometimes or , and derive historically from the Chinese pagoda, itself an interpretation of the Indian ''stupa''. Like the ''stupa'', pagodas were ori ...
''
*''shichidō garan
''Shichidō garan'' is a Buddhism in Japan, Japanese Buddhist term indicating the seven Dō (architecture), halls composing the ideal Buddhist temple compound. This compound word is composed of , literally meaning "seven halls", and , meaning " ...
'' (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''.
**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''.
*'' shariden'' (舎利殿) – reliquary
A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', ''Chasse (casket), chasse'', or ''phylactery'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary, or the room in which one is stored, may also be called a ''feretory''.
Relics may be the purported ...
containing relics associated with Buddha
According to the '' Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta'' ( Sutta 16 of the ''Dīgha Nikāya''), after attaining ''parinirvana'', the body of Buddha was cremated and the ashes divided among his lay followers.
Division of the relics
According to the ''M ...
*''shoin
is a type of audience hall in Japanese architecture that was developed during the Muromachi period. The term originally meant a study and a place for lectures on the sūtra within a temple, but later it came to mean just a drawing room or stu ...
'' (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 temples in Japan, 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 ' ...
'' (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 many kinds of activities, from eating to sleeping, centered on zazen.
* (総門) – the gate at the entrance of a temple. It precedes the bigger and more important ''sanmon''. See also ''mon''.
*''sōrin
The two types of pagoda finial (''sōrin''), in bronze
('' tahōtō'') and stone ('' hōkyōintō'')
The is the vertical shaft (finial) which tops a Japanese pagoda, whether made of stone or wood.Pagodas can be made of wood or stone, and th ...
'' (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'' and tō
Multi-storied pagodas in wood and stone, and a ''gorintō''
Pagodas in Japan are called , sometimes or , and derive historically from the Chinese pagoda, itself an interpretation of the Indian ''stupa''. Like the ''stupa'', pagodas were ori ...
.
**Strips of wood left behind tombs during annual ceremonies (') symbolizing a ''stupa''.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 mi ...
Japanese dictionary The upper part is segmented like a ''pagoda'' and carries Sanskrit inscriptions, ''sutras'', and the ''kaimyō'' (posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary Personal name, name given mainly to revered dead people in East Asian cultural sphere, East Asian culture. It is predominantly used in Asian countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand. ...
) of the deceased. In present-day Japanese, usually has this meaning.
*''stupa
In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...
'' – 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 ''Tō
Multi-storied pagodas in wood and stone, and a ''gorintō''
Pagodas in Japan are called , sometimes or , and derive historically from the Chinese pagoda, itself an interpretation of the Indian ''stupa''. Like the ''stupa'', pagodas were ori ...
buttō'', the '' gorintō'', the ''hōkyōintō
A is a type of tō, Japanese pagoda, so called because it originally contained the sūtraIwanami Kōjien Japanese dictionary (or ).Iwanami Kōjien Japanese dictionary A Chinese variant of the Indian stupa, it was originally conceived as a ceno ...
'', the ', the ''tō'', or the much simpler wooden stick-style .
*''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 () of an important family.
* (多宝塔) – a two-storied ''pagoda
A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, 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 some ...
'' 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.
* (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 ( (二手先))) or three ( 三津手先).
*''tokyō'' (斗きょう) – see ''tesaki''.
*''torii
A is a traditional culture of Japan, Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred, and a spot where kami are welcomed and thought to ...
'' (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
A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhism, Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat, khurul and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in B ...
. Some of its forms are influenced by the .
*''tō
Multi-storied pagodas in wood and stone, and a ''gorintō''
Pagodas in Japan are called , sometimes or , and derive historically from the Chinese pagoda, itself an interpretation of the Indian ''stupa''. Like the ''stupa'', pagodas were ori ...
'' (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= , five tiers= , seven tiers = , etc.).
* or (東司) – a Zen monastery's toilet.
* (薬師堂) – a building that enshrines a statue of Yakushi Nyorai.*
* (浴室) – a monastery's bathroom.
*'' zen-dō'' (禅堂) – lit. "hall of Zen". The building where monks practice , and one of the main structures of a Zen .
Gallery
File:Kozanji Temple (Shimonoseki).JPG, Kōzan-ji in Shimonoseki's ''Butsuden''
File:Motoyamaji-Chinjyudou.jpg, Motoyama-ji's ''chinjū-dō''
File:Shinbutsu-Shugo-at-Komyoji.jpg, Kōmyō-ji's ''chinjusha''
File:Horyu-ji03s3200.jpg, ''Chūmon'' at Hōryū-ji
is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in Ikaruga, Nara, Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Built shortly after Buddhism was introduced to Japan, it is also one of the oldest Buddh ...
File:Myoshinji-M9727.jpg, Myōshin-ji
is a temple complex in Kyoto, Japan, which serves as the 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: ...
's ''hattō''
File:Todaiji_hokkedo.jpg, Tōdai-ji
is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan. The construction of the temple was an attempt to imitate Chinese temples from the much-admir ...
's ''Hokke-dō''
File:Jingoji Kyoto Kyoto46n4592.jpg, Jingo-ji's ''honbō''
File:TofukujiHondo.jpg, Tofuku-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
is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama-ku in Kyoto, Japan. Tōfuku-ji takes its name from two temples in Nara, Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji.Japan ReferenceTōfuku-ji/ref> It is one of the Kyoto ''Gozan'' or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto". It ...
's ''kaisan-dō''
File:Hogonji00bs3872.jpg, Hōgon-ji's ''karamon''
File:Shitennoj honbo garden06s3200.jpg, Shitennō-ji's ''karesansui''
File:Katoumado.jpg, a ''katōmado''
File:Tofukuji-Sanmon-M9589.jpg, Tōfuku-ji
is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama-ku in Kyoto, Japan. Tōfuku-ji takes its name from two temples in Nara, Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji.Japan ReferenceTōfuku-ji/ref> It is one of the Kyoto ''Gozan'' or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto". It ...
'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 archetyp ...
File:臨濟護國禪寺大雄寶殿.JPG, ''Kon-dō'' of Huguo Chan Buddhist Temple of The Linji School in Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
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, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
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, Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
File:Kyoto Toji Mieido C0973.jpg, ''Miei-dō'' at Tō-ji
, also known as is a Shingon Buddhist temple in the Minami-ku, Kyoto, Minami-ku ward of Kyoto, Japan.
Founded in 796, Tō-ji Temple was one of the only three Buddhist temples allowed in the city at the time it became the capital of Japan. As s ...
File:Hualien Ji’an Ching-xiu Yuan, front view, Ji'an Township, Hualien County (Taiwan).jpg, ''Mon'' of Hualien Ji'an Shrine in Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
File:Horyu-ji02s3200.jpg, ''Nandaimon'' at Hōryū-ji
File:Hasedera Noborirou.jpg, The ''noborirō'' at Nara's ''Hase-dera
is the main temple of the Shingon-shu Buzan-ha, Buzan sect of Shingon Buddhism. The temple is located in Sakurai, Nara, Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The Main Hall is a National Treasure (Japan), National Treasure of Japan.
Overview
Accord ...
''
File:Koumyouji5501.JPG, ''Nijūmon'' at Kōmyō-ji in Ayabe.
File:Choshoji niomon.jpg, A '' niōmon''
File:Yakushiji-MF007-0069.jpg, (East) Pagoda at Yakushi-ji in Nara
File:Stone stairway Kiyomizu-dera.JPG, Kiyomizu-dera
is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
The temple was established in 778, during the late Nara period, by Enchin Shonin, who ...
's ''sandō''
File:Chionin35n3200.jpg, A high rank, five-bay ''sanmon'' at Chion-in. 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
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
File:Tofukiji-Sanro.jpg, The ''sanrō'' of Tōfuku-ji's ''sanmon''. (See also the ''sanmons photo above.)
File:Eikando Somon.jpg, 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 Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan. The construction of the temple was an attempt to imitate Chinese temples from the much-admir ...
's ''shōrō'' (an early type)
File:Saidaiji-M6662.jpg, Saidai-ji }
280px, Model of Nara period Saidai-ji
is a Buddhist temple located in the Saidiaji-Shiba neighborhood of the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It became the head temple of the sect after the sect's founder, , took over administration in 1 ...
'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, Zentsu-ji's five-tiered pagoda (''gojū-no-tō'')
File:Mii-dera Otsu Shiga pref27n4592.jpg, Mii-dera'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 Mahayana ...
's ''shaka-dō''
File:Toufuku-ji tousu.JPG, Tōufuku-ji's ''tōsu''
File:Jōdo-ji, Yakushi Hall 001.jpg, Jōdo-ji's ''yakushi-dō''
File:Myoshinji-DSC1246.jpg, Myōshin-ji's ''yokushitsu'' (the temple's baths)
File:TofukujiZendo.jpg, Tōfuku-ji's ''zen-dō''
See also
*Buddhist temples in Japan
Buddhist temples or monasteries are (along with Shinto shrines) the most numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.The term "Shinto shrine" is used in contrast to "Buddhist temple" to mirror the distinction made in Japanese bet ...
*Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
A glossary (from , ''glossa''; language, speech, wording), also known as a vocabulary or clavis, is an alphabetical list of terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms. Traditionally, a glossary appears at ...
*Haibutsu kishaku
(literally "abolish Buddhism and destroy Shākyamuni") is a term that indicates a current of thought continuous in Japan's history which advocates the expulsion of Buddhism from Japan.[Japanese architecture
has been typified by wooden structures, elevated slightly off the ground, with tiled or thatched roofs. Sliding doors ('' fusuma'') and other traditional partitions were used in place of walls, allowing the internal configuration of a space ...]
*List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)
The term " National Treasure" has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897.
The definition and the criteria have changed since the inception of the term. The temple structures in this list were designated national treasures whe ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
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* Iwanami Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Japanese Buddhist Architecture
Japanese architectural history
ja:日本建築史