Shitenno-ji Temple

Approx. Time: 2 hours
Activity Level: Easy to Moderate

Shitennoji was the first Buddhist monastery built in Japan. It was built by Shotokutaishi sometime before 1400, and is a member of Japan's oldest group of temples. The temple in the courtyard enshrines statues of the kannon of salvation and the four deities from whom the sanctuary takes its name. It is architecturally famous for the balanced symmetrical layout in which the temple buildings are arranged in a straight north-south line, an arrangement known as the "Shitenno-ji-style temple layout". Destroyed again and again in fires caused by lightning and war, it has always been rebuilt, and retains much of its ancient flavor. The Kobo no Ichi Flea Market is held here on the 21st of each month.

Courtesy of Japan Tourism Board.

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