Japanese Temples are the most sacred places that represent the faith of the Japanese people.
Temples in Japan also reflect the cultural heritage of Japan and safeguard the tradition of Japan. Almost each and every municipal area incorporates atleast one
Japanese temple, while great cultural regions include thousands of temples.
Temples in Japan
The common construction model of Japanese temples includes the following structures:
Lecture hall: Lecture halls are commonly known as “kodo” and are used mainly for lectures and gathering.
Main hall: Popularly known as butsuden or kondo, Main Hall is used for exhibiting holy articles of worship.
Gates: Usually denotes the door way of the Buddhist Temples. Usually in Buddhist Temples, number of gates including ‘main gates' as well as minor gates are found.
Pagoda: The structure of Pagoda is derived from Indian ‘Stupa'.Commonly Pagodas restore traces of the Buddha such as his ‘tooth' and so on.
Cemetery: Usually the Japanese visit their ancestor's Cemetery in temple areas, through out the year, particularly on the obon week.
Bell: Especially on the eve of New Year, temple bells are resounded for 108 times, which are related to the Buddhist notion of 108 materialistic wishes.
The most eminent Japanese cities which are graced with temples are Kyoto, Kamakura and Nara. A few of those most famous Japanese Temples are as following:
- Toji Temple
- Byodoin Temple
- Garan Temple
- Zojoji Temple
- Kotokuin Temple
- Tokeiji Temple
- Myohonji Temple
- Daigoji Temple
- Kofukuji Temple
- Ninnaji Temple
- Ginkakuji Temple
- Horiyuji Temple
