Kofukuji Temple 興福寺

  • Published on : 29/09/2020
  • by : Japan Experience

Kofukuji temple was the family temple of the powerful Fujiwara family and is considered one of the finest museums of sacred Japanese sculpture from the seventh to the thirteenth century.

 

Kofukuji Temple Buildings

Kofukuji is noted for its fine 50m-tall Five-Story Pagoda, a Three-Story Pagoda and the Tokon-do (東金堂) and Kokuhokan (国宝館; Kofukuji National Treasure Museum), which house beautiful collections of priceless, Buddhist art and statuary.

The rather drab, concrete Kokuhokan (Admission, 600 yen) contains arguably the best collection of Japanese sculpture in the world. A set of guardians, including a standing dry-lacquer figure of a three-faced, six-armed Ashura (one of the Buddha's eight protectors) and the bronze head of Yakushi Nyorai (the Healing Buddha) are standouts.

Octagonal Hall of Kofuku-ji, painted red and green.

Kofukuji Temple Nara

By tak1701d - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40368610


Address, timetable & access

Kofukuji Temple

  • Address

    48 Noborioji-cho

    630-8213

    Japan

  • Phone

    +81 (0)742 22 5370
  • Timetable

    9 am-5 pm. Though the grounds are open around the clock
  • Price

    600 yen for adults to the National Treasure Museum; 300 yen for the Eastern Golden Hall (800 yen combined ticket).

  • Access

    Take a yellow Nara City Loop Line Bus #2 from JR Nara Station or Kintetsu Nara Station. Get off at Kencho-mae. Buses #70, #72, #97, #160, #50, #51, #53, #82 and #92 all stop at Kencho-mae.
  • Website

    https://www.kohfukuji.com/english/

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