Shitenno-ji Temple in Osaka 🏯
Historical and Cultural Background 🌊🎢 In 593 AD, Prince Shotoku made a vow during the war against the anti-Buddhist Mononobe clan. 🍃🌺He promised that if he won, he would build a temple to enshrine the Buddhist guardian deities, the “Four Heavenly Kings.” After the victory, he fulfilled his promise and constructed Shitenno-ji Temple in Naniwa (present-day Osaka), which became the starting point for the spread of Buddhism in Japan. 🌇 The temple layout imitates the architectural style of the Northern and Southern Dynasties in China. The central axis links the Middle Gate, the Five-Storied Pagoda, the Golden Hall, and the Lecture Hall, with a surrounding corridor. 🌊🎢 This design, known as the “Shitenno-ji-style temple complex,” is a model of early East Asian Buddhist architecture. Despite multiple fires (the most recent reconstruction was in 1963), it still retains the grandeur of the Asuka period. 🏛️ 🍃🌺The temple houses Japan’s oldest embroidery, the “Tenshokoku Mandala Tapestry,” and Prince Shotoku’s sword. The Pure Land Garden, centered around the “Turtle Pond,” showcases Japan’s oldest artificial garden aesthetics. 🌸 #Osaka 🌇🌿