Buddhist Temples in Japan

Buddhist Temples in Japan

Buddhist Temples in Japan

Buddhism was introduced in Japan in 550AD from Korea. The new religion was embraced by the elite and the ruling class. Slowly Buddhism's influence spread and it became a major religion in the area. There is at least one temple in nearly every town of Japan.

Although all temples are beautiful specimens of architecture, some temples stand out because of some extraordinary feature.

The Osorezan Bodaiji Temple is located in the Shimokita Peninsula. The temple was founded in 862 A.D. Osorezan means "The Mountain of Fear" and is at the foot of a caldera mountain. It is one of the three major scared sites in Japan. Because of the volcanic activity, the smell of sulfur hangs in the air. The area surrounding the temple is marked by diverse features. If on one hand there are hot springs and steam coming out of openings from the barren grounds; beautiful scenery, large mountains and Lake Usori with its multitude hues of blue. These features are strikingly similar to the ideas of hell and heaven in Buddhist ideology. Reaching Osorezan is a bit difficult and overnight accommodation is available for the visitors.

The magnificent Kinkakuji Temple is an impressive building with all of its three floors depicting a new style of architecture. The upper two floors are glided with the top most floor constructed as a Zen temple. The temple was burnt down a number of times and the present building was built in 1955. Wonderful architecture, beautiful gardens and interesting history are the salient features of this temple situated in Kyoto.

The Toji Temple is also located in Kyoto. The highlight of this temple is the 57 m high pagoda which is tallest wooden structure in Japan. Toji Temple was built in 826 AD and was rebuilt in 1643 after it was damaged in the fire. Inside the temple are invaluable Buddhist scriptures, paintings and sculptures.

The Todaiji Temple was built in 752 in Nara. It is reputed to be the largest wooden building in the world. It also has the largest bronze statue of Buddha in Japan.

The Chusonji Temple is located in Hiraizumi a small town in the north east of Japan. The temple was built in first built in 850. The rebuilding of the temple was undertaken in 1105 by the influential Fujiwara family. It took 21 years to completely rebuild the temple. The famous Golden Hall built in 1124; the hall is made of gold both from inside and outside.

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