Nara

Towering nearly 9 meters high, the gilded wooden statue of eleven-faced Kannon—the bodhisattva of compassion and mercy—commands attention at Hase-dera Temple. This ancient Buddhist sanctuary, established in 736 CE, clings to a Kamakura hillside where the grounds cascade down toward panoramic views o

Major Shinto shrine in Nara, known for its numerous bronze lanterns

Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex in Nara, Japan, once one of the Seven Great Temples. Founded in 738 and opened in 752, it was built to emulate Tang dynasty temples and has undergone multiple reconstructions.

Kofuku-ji is a major Buddhist temple in Nara and the head temple of the Hossō school. Founded in 669 and relocated to Nara in 710 by the Fujiwara clan, it was one of the Nanto Shichi Daiji and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.

Kinpusen-ji in Yoshino, Nara, is the head temple of Kinpusen‑Shugendō and a core Shugendō site with Ōminesan‑ji. Tradition credits En no Gyōja; its Zaō‑dō, dedicated to Zaō Gongen, is Japan’s second‑largest wooden building after Tōdai‑ji’s Great Buddha Hall.