Shitennoji Temple

The earliest Buddhist temple in Japan is also one of the temples believed by the Japanese. Built in 593, the deity enshrines the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, which is said to be built by Prince Shotoku.

Shitennoji Temple

The red pillars and white walls of the buildings are unified in style, with religious characteristics of the Southern and Northern Dynasties of China, and the elegance of the Asuka era.

Shitennoji has two entrances, one is the south gate on the south side, and the other is the Gekulemun gate on the west side. Generally, you can get off at Shitennoji Yunooka Station on the subway station, and you can walk all the way south in the alleys. When you see the stone torii gate, you will arrive at Shitennoji. This is an ancient stone torii gate that exists throughout Japan. It was originally made of wood, but was replaced with stone in 1294. It is rich in history, precious and unique.

Passing through the torii gate, you will arrive at the Gate of Bliss, which means the gate to the west, so it is located on the west side of the temple. Passing through the Gate of Bliss, you can see the portraits of Bodhisattvas such as the ten disciples of Shakyamuni Tathagata, and four prayer wheels. When passing by, you can turn the law wheel, which represents the believer's direct contact with the Dhamma and accumulate merit.

Shitennoji-style garan can enter the center garan through the west gate. This is the center of the temple. From south to north, you can see the central gate, five-storied pagoda, golden hall, and lecture hall in the courtyard. , Is called "Shitennoji style Garan". This architectural style originated from China and North Korea. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties of China, a large number of temples were built with pagodas as the center.

The five-storied pagoda is an important building in the center of Garan. The top of this five-story wooden pagoda is a stupa, which houses six relics. There are entrances to the north and south of the tower, but usually only the north entrance is open, and the murals of Sakyamuni and the wooden statues of the Four Heavenly Kings are enshrined on the south. The Golden Hall and the five-storied pagoda are located together in the center, which is dedicated to Guanyin and is guarded by the four heavenly kings.

There will be a small relic display ceremony starting at 11:00 every day. If you are a devout Buddhist, don't miss this sacred moment. The lecture hall is a place to promote the classics. Opposite the central axis is the central gate. There are two vajra warriors. They are fierce and have the meaning of guarding the temple. Going out from the middle door is the south gate of the entire temple. Go eastward around the outer wall of the cloister in the center of Garan, and you will see a small courtyard, which is the Holy Spirit Courtyard, which was built to commemorate Prince Shotoku.

The treasure hall is next to the holy spirit courtyard. You must take off your shoes when you enter the museum. You can't take pictures in the museum. As soon as you enter the door, you will see two very magnificent wooden temples and monuments. After going upstairs, you will see the treasures of Prince Shotoku's life and deeds, paintings, scriptures and other treasures. In addition to the exhibits related to the Prince and the general display of the Pure Land School, there are often various temporary limited special exhibitions. For detailed exhibition news, please pay attention to official information.

Going north out of the treasure hall, you will find a pond called the turtle pond behind the lecture hall. In the middle of the pond is a stone stage. It was pointed out by the gods of sacrificial dances in ancient times that it is very sacred. Now every April 22nd, there is a holy spirit dance music festival to commemorate Prince Shotoku. At that time, you can see dance music that is said to have been passed down from ancient times and is performed on the stone stage. Usually, a large group of tortoises swim in the tortoise pond. When the weather is fine, groups of tortoises will climb on the rocks in the pond to bask in the sun, which is a big sight in the temple.

Behind the turtle pond is the Six Hours Hall, where various rituals and dharma meetings are held. The Japanese-style courtyard in the north of the temple is a Japanese-style courtyard-the Pure Land of Bliss, which is built on the prototype of the Pure Land of Bliss in the Buddhist classics. There are two gurgling streams meeting in the courtyard, implying the three poisons in the world, but they can't stay in this courtyard and can only be constantly washed.

Strolling through the courtyard, you will see a pavilion with a Western style. This is the octagonal pavilion built in the Meiji period. To enjoy a sunset, the rows of red eaves pillars in the Sitianwang Temple are solemn and solemn. You might as well take a walk here, or sit still for a while, stealing half-day peace in the hustle and bustle and feel the supreme coolness. The west gate is a good place to enjoy the sunset, and is known as the "Sunset Hill". In addition, the west of the temple faces the sea, and the west is recognized by Buddhism as the pure land of bliss. Many monks or devout Buddhists will choose to worship here.