A top-notch exhibition about structural design showcasing seven must-see buildings but how do they know their plans won’t collapse What Museum in Shinagawa is presenting part two of Sense of Structure: From Horyuji Temple to the Universe (SoS) through August 25 spotlighting the overlooked field of structural engineering displays architectural models that range from ancient temples to lunar base camps As curator Ikue Kondo explained at the show’s opening structural engineers create building frameworks by considering how construction materials work with natural forces such as gravity and wind Here are seven Japanese wonders of structural design shown in SoS that you can visit yourself Constructed around 1,400 years ago, the Five-storied Pagoda (Goju-no-To) at Horyuji Temple in Nara Prefecture holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest surviving wooden building The 32.5-meter tower owes much of its longevity to its structure It’s built around a central pillar of Japanese cypress with flexible joints allowing it to withstand seismic shocks The model at SoS stands approximately 3.6 meters high and was made by a retired carpenter who wanted to understand how Horyuji was originally constructed Tokyo’s iconic Yoyogi National Stadium was conceived by Pritzker Prize-winner Kenzo Tange as the crowning jewel of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics Championship sporting events including swimming and figure skating have been held here as well as concerts for artists like Queen The first is split by an elegantly draped roof while the second is a bowl-shaped gym featuring a conical ceiling The site is still used for athletic training and competitions The ever-stylishly black Matsumoto Castle is one of just 12 original castles still existing in Japan The National Treasure is also special for being a five-story castle with a secret sixth level inside The unconventional decision to build the keep on flat land (Matsumoto is in a mountain-surrounded basin) means its surroundings are both picturesque and easy to stroll around the fortress boasts a watchtower solely for viewing the moon SoS presents a detailed model giving viewers an up-close look at the castle’s impressive pillars spanning six stories Deep in the idyllic countryside of Shirakawa village in Gifu Prefecture, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go is known for its thatch-roofed houses lovingly maintained by locals since the 1800s Their A-frame style –– known as gassho-zukuri for their peaked roofs similar to hands folded in prayer (gassho) –– lets snow slide off in this region famous for frosty winters The houses made with traditional wood construction techniques were once used for silk cultivation but now function as museums SoS displays a large wooden model replicating a skeleton frame for the Tajima residence Kintaikyo in Kyushu’s Yamaguchi Prefecture is a rare timber arch bridge that has proved remarkably resilient over the centuries First constructed in 1673 to serve the Iwakuni Domain’s samurai stronghold Kintaikyo’s engineering incorporates European masonry and stands on stone bases The last time the Nishiki River washed it away completely was in 1950 its superstructure managed to withstand a major typhoon in 2005 A small scale model from the University of Tokyo shows off the bridge’s curving form resembling a dragon dipping and rising through the water A recent masterpiece of architecture and structural engineering is Nagasaki’s Agri Chapel Made for contemplating the forest and ocean of a surrounding nature preserve this sanctuary with floor-to-ceiling windows is characterized by the fractal forms of its interior beams that imitate trees with outstretched branches Inspired by the wooden gothic chapel Oura Tenshudo in the same city the chapel received the 2018 Architectural Institute of Japan’s New Face Award It also uses nail-less kanawa tsugi joinery like its ancient predecessor Horyuji If Sense of Structure leaves you with even more of an appetite for architecture, book a reservation for What Museum’s Archi-Depot. Located in the same facility, Archi-Depot stores more than 600 architectural models entrusted to it by architects, exhibiting some of this collection to visitors. Combined tickets with SoS are available for ¥2,000 Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information Nara Prefecture—A ceiling board bearing graffiti of a man’s face is among 3,284 wooden pieces affiliated with the Kondo main hall of Horyuji temple that are expected to be collectively designated a national treasure The board formed part of a sumptuous coffered ceiling of the main hall that was built during the Asuka Period (592-710) and is the world's oldest surviving wooden structure A large swath of the board was burned in a fire in 1949 but the graffiti was shielded by timber and survived wood is cut into squares and assembled into a lattice that boards are then laid over an expert on Japanese art history and a visiting professor at Tokyo University of the Arts surmises that an artist working on the ceiling doodled a portrait of a colleague during a break Above the man’s face is another drawing of a hand with some fingers slightly bent “The delicate brushwork makes it hard to believe that (the paintings) were drawn by an amateur,” Ariga said A photograph of the graffiti ran in a March 2023 report published by Horyuji temple about historical wooden pieces related to the Kondo main hall the Council for Cultural Affairs proposed that the 3,284 wooden pieces be designated a national treasure The collection includes pieces that were not used during repairs of the main hall between 1934 and 1955 graffiti from 400 years ago found at Gifu temple Graffiti found on national treasure gate at Chionin temple in Kyoto 400-year-old prayer tablet found at Kyoto’s Kiyomizudera 440-year-old graffiti found at Gifu temple to be preserved Saitama priest near tears after researchers solve ceiling art puzzle Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information There are around 48 Buddhist monuments in the Horyu-ji area Several date from the late 7th or early 8th century making them some of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in the world These masterpieces of wooden architecture are important not only for the history of art since they illustrate the adaptation of Chinese Buddhist architecture and layout to Japanese culture since their construction coincided with the introduction of Buddhism to Japan from China by way of the Korean peninsula Certains édifices construits à la fin du VIIe ou au début du VIIIe siècle comptent parmi les plus anciens bâtiments de bois subsistant dans le monde ils ont marqué une période importante de l'histoire de l'art illustrant en effet l'adaptation de l'architecture et des plans bouddhiques chinois à la culture japonaise Ils ont également marqué l'histoire des religions car leur construction coïncide avec l'introduction du bouddhisme au Japon arrivant de Chine par la péninsule de Corée يصل عدد النصب البوذيّة في أوريو-جي، في محافظة نارا، إلى 48 معبدًا ويُعتبَر بعض العمارات التي بُنيت في أواخر القرن السابع وفي بداية القرن الثامن من بين أقدم المباني الخشبيّة المُتبقّية في العالم فهذه التّحف الخشبيّة الهندسة قد تركت بصماتها في الحقبات المهمّة من تاريخ الفن، مصوِّرةً في الواقع، تكيُّف الهندسة والتصاميم البوذيّة الصينيّة مع الثقافة اليابانيّة كما أثّرت أيضًا في تاريخ الأديان وذلك لأنّ إنشاءَها تزامن ودخول الديانة البوذيّة الآتيّة من الصين إلى اليابان عبر شبه الجزيرة الكوريّة 在奈良县的法隆寺地区，约有48座佛教建筑，其中有一些建于公元7世纪末至8世纪初，是世界上现存最古老的木结构建筑。这些木结构建筑杰作的重要性不仅仅在于它们展现了中国佛教建筑与日本文化的艺术融合历史，还在于它们标志着宗教史发展的一个重要时期，因为修建这些建筑的时候正是中国佛教经朝鲜半岛传入日本的时期。 Некоторые относятся к концу VII - началу VIII вв. считаясь одними из старейших в мире деревянных строений Эти шедевры деревянной архитектуры имеют большое значение для истории искусства поскольку они иллюстрируют проникновение китайской буддийской архитектуры и планировки в японскую культуру так как их сооружение совпало с приходом буддизма в Японию из Китая через Корейский полуостров Los monumentos budistas de la zona de Horyu-ji Construidas hacia finales del siglo VII o principios del VIII algunas de las edificaciones de este sitio figuran entre las construcciones de madera más antiguas conservadas hasta la fecha en el mundo Son obras maestras importantes para la historia del arte ya que ilustran la adaptación del trazado y la arquitectura budistas de China a la cultura japonesa También marcan un hito en la historia de las religiones porque su construcción coincidió con la introducción del budismo que se propagó desde China hasta el Japón pasando por la península de Corea The Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area are located in Nara Prefecture The property consists of forty-eight ancient wooden structures located at the two temples sites twenty-one at Horyu-ji temple and Hokki-ji temple The Horyu-ji temple covers an area of 14.6 hectares and the smaller Hokki-ji Temple 0.7 hectares The two sites are surrounded by a single buffer zone measuring 570.7 hectares The Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area are the earliest Buddhist monuments in Japan dating from shortly after the introduction of Buddhism to the country and had a profound influence on subsequent religious architecture Eleven structures on the temple sites date from the late-7th or 8th century making them some of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in the world Although a fire destroyed the original Horyu-ji buildings in 670 structural remains survive below ground in the precinct known as Wakakusa Garan to the south-east of the later West Temple (Sai-in) Rebuilding commenced almost immediately and continued into the early years of the 8th century The structures are based on the Chinese bay system a modified version of post-and-lintel construction with intricate bracketing designed to transfer the weight of the heavy tiled roof down to the massive wooden supporting columns They are especially noteworthy for the skilful use of entasis on the columns and their cloud-shaped brackets From its foundation Horyu-ji always enjoyed the protection of the imperial family and as a result Horyu-ji was always immaculately maintained and conserved Criterion (i): The Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area are masterpieces of wooden architecture Criterion (ii): These are the earliest Buddhist monuments in Japan Criterion (iv): The Horyu-ji monuments represent the adaptation of Chinese Buddhist architecture and temple layout to Japanese culture and the subsequent development of a distinct indigenous style Criterion (vi): The introduction of Buddhism into Japan and its promotion by Prince Shotokumarks a significant stage in the spread of Buddhism over this cultural zone The boundaries of the property respect the historic outline of the temple grounds and include all the necessary monuments to demonstrate the adaption of Chinese Buddhist architecture and temple layout as well as its influence on subsequent religious architecture in Japan maintains a good state of preservation and has adequate protection the property’s integrity is ensured in the contexts of both wholeness and intactness The conservation work that has been carried out since 1895 has met the highest standards of contemporary conservation practice new techniques have been developed for the conservation of wooden structures and especially in the case of interventions involving dismantling and reconstruction which established sound precedent for the conservation of wooden buildings The Japanese conservation practice conforms to established principles of authenticity in design Minor changes made to buildings have allowed them to retain their historic form and features Damaged wooden members are carefully replaced only when absolutely necessary and the process follows traditional techniques The use of new materials is rigorously controlled Special attention is paid to the use of traditional tools and techniques in conservation work Most of the forty-eight buildings are in the original locations and have retained their historic settings the property retains a high level of authenticity in terms of form/design traditions/techniques and location/setting The forty-eight buildings that comprise the property are all protected under designation as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties in accordance with 1950 Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties The areas of the property (15.3 ha) are also protected under designation as a Special Historic Site under the 1950 Law proposed alterations to the existing state of the property are restricted and any alteration must be approved by the national government Three legal instruments determine the designation and development control of the Buffer Zone (570.7 ha): (i) the Natural Parks Law (ii) the Ancient Capitals Preservation Act and (iii) the Nara Prefecture Scenic Zone Ordinance The property is owned by theHoryu-jiReligious Organization and the Hokki-jiReligious Organization Several qualified conservation architects of the Nara Prefectural Board of Education are stationed at the site of Horyu-ji temple to plan and supervise repair work As all of the monuments and their surrounding buildings are made of wood each of the monuments is equipped with automatic fire alarms private fire brigades are organized by Horyu-jiand Hokki-ji which work in cooperation with public fire offices Nara Prefecture and Ikaruga Town provide the property owners with both financial assistance and technical guidance for adequate preservation and management The Tokyo National Museum is one of the largest art museums in the world home to many of Japan's cultural treasures as well as a huge from ancient Mesopotamia to India to Korea While most visitors spend their hours in the Japanese and Archaeology Galleries—and some check out the five-story Asian Gallery for diverse antiquities—there is more to the museum complex, such as the serene Japanese garden and the modernist gallery dedicated to the ancient treasures of Hōryū-ji one of the most venerated and oldest Buddhist temples of Japan The treasure was originally bequeathed to the Imperial House in 1878 then passed on into the government’s care following World War II The Tokyo National Museum founded the “Gallery of Horyuji Treasures” in 1964 only open to the public once a week due to concerns about the preservation of the precious artifacts to be housed in a building designed by renowned architect Yoshio Taniguchi you may not expect to find ancient Buddhist artifacts here but once inside you are sure to be stunned by its collection The dimly-lit exhibit room on the first floor is a modern space with an almost futuristic flair home to a gorgeous collection of fifty-odd statuettes of the Buddha and other guardian deities sculpted in gilt-bronze circa 7th century On the upper floor are galleries displaying calligraphy and lacquerwork with a digital exhibit on the mezzanine level where a collection of more fragile treasures unsuitable for permanent exhibition (such as tapestries and paintings) can be viewed through virtual means The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures shares its opening hours with the Tokyo National Museum: open 9:30 a.m A ticket to the museum (1000 yen for adults) includes entry to the gallery; it's located on the left hand as you enter the complex The monastery survived the Communist revolution in Mongolia as a religious museum The oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia has survived centuries of invasions This $62 million dollar temple was erected to house one little dental fragment of religious history These 33 Zen Buddhist temples were built to protect the nearby castle conflicts are humanized through soldiers’ personal belongings A grand Buddhist temple with Indian influences A treasure trove of artifacts dating back to the late 19th century in Alabama Only the stone foundations remain of one of the greatest Buddhist temples in early East Asian history As the second in our series “Digital Humanities Seminars” we held a public seminar via an online connection between Waseda University Osaka University and Harvard University online using 8K content (3DCG generated using high-resolution image data = photogrammetry) of the Horyuji Kuze Kannon from the NHK Shibuya Broadcasting Station to each university Professor Mai Sarai of Gakushuin University explained that 8K cultural property content is being produced as a joint project between the Tokyo National Museum and NHK for public viewing at exhibition venues and broadcast use and that this seminar was being held as a trial to expand its use for research and educational purposes in the future Professor Yutaka Fujioka of Osaka University and Professor Ryusaku Nagaoka of Tohoku University gave explanations about the interpretation of form and iconography from the perspective of the history of sculpture Waseda venue: The hand of the Savior Kannon is a work of superlative skill Associate Professor Ryusuke Masuki of the University of Tokyo Professor Yukio Lippit of Harvard University and Professor Satomi Yamamoto of Waseda University added questions and comments about how to think about the similarities in the form of wood and gilt bronze Buddhist statues the issue of the materials and colors of the Buddha and spirituality and the similarities in faith with the “Tamamushi no Zushi” it was possible to answer questions from participating students in an interactive way across universities and a dynamic classroom space was achieved A restored image of the Kuze Kannon statue’s crown which is thought to have been decorated with jewel beetle wings Harvard venue: Professor Yukio Lippit and students studying Japanese art Viewing one of the greatest works in the history of Japanese sculpture in 8K quality and freely discussing it while focusing on the desired parts was a valuable opportunity to experience new methods and possibilities in the humanities A total of 151 people participated from the six universities The event connected universities in Japan and overseas in real time and there were also comments from a wide range of specialist fields including not just art history but also literature and history The dialogue with detailed observations of the Buddhist statues was a very stimulating experience （Written by Satomi Yamamoto in Japanese ver.） Waseda venue: Graduate students observing the 8K images using a controller Waseda venue: It applies a game controller Harvard venue: Lecture while checking the details of the crown of the Kuze Kannon The Waseda University official website <<https://www.waseda.jp/flas/gjs/en>> doesn't support your system Please update to the newest version of your browser and try again Continue  Google ChromeWindows version 38 laterMacintosh version38 laterWebSite Fire FoxWindows version 33 laterMacintosh version 33 laterWebSite SafariWindows version 38 laterMacintosh version38 laterWebSite Internet ExplorlerWindows version 10 laterWebSite your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy 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new strategies to mitigate and adapt a UNESCO World Heritage site in the ancient capital of Nara in western Japan have received their annual year-end cleaning Ten monks entered the temple's main hall on Friday and recited a sutra before carefully dusting off the statues like the Shaka triad and the Yakushi Nyorai The annual cleaning ritual began about 30 years ago after the temple received the UNESCO stamp of approval The WHAT Museum in Tokyo has unveiled its most ambitious architectural exhibition yet: ‘SENSE OF STRUCTURE: From Horyuji Temple To The Universe.’ The show sheds light on the often-overlooked field of structural design the invisible force that brings architects’ visions to life While Japan is home to renowned architects, the critical role of structural engineers remains under-recognized. This exhibition aims to change that. Through a collection of over one-hundred intricate models, from timber to textile visitors gain a newfound appreciation for how structural engineers translate an architect’s concept into a standing structure These models grapple with the fundamental forces — gravity wind — that shape our built environment The exhibition doesn’t overwhelm visitors with technical terms viewers gain an intuitive understanding of the principles and mechanics that underpin architectural marvels SENSE OF STRUCTURE will be on view at WHAT Museum from April 26th until August 25th SENSE OF STRUCTURE: From Horyuji Temple To The Universe image © designboom (banner image © ToLoLo studio) The second half of the exhibition focuses on wood a natural and increasingly popular building material From Japan’s time-tested techniques to cutting-edge innovations the exhibition explores the history and future potential of wooden structures A highlight is a massive 1/10th scale model of the five-storied pagoda at Horyuji Temple Another display features the timber framework model of Matsumoto Castle’s keep allow visitors to grasp the scale and ingenuity of these wooden structures explore 1,400 years of wooden architecture from tradition to sustainable future | image © designboom SENSE OF STRUCTURE demonstrates the far-reaching influence of structural design The exhibition showcases cross-disciplinary projects that bridge the gap between structural design and seemingly disparate fields like fashion and space exploration One such example is the premiere showing of a full-scale model lunar base camp This innovative project is the brainchild of a collaboration between JAXA and renowned structural engineer Jun Sato and his team The exhibition also honors over fifty structural engineers who are shaping the future of the built environment Visitors will encounter inspiring examples of innovative collaborations between structural design and fashion including the work of HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE the new Tokyo exhibition SENSE OF STRUCTURE celebrates the heroes of structural design | image © designboom Divided into four distinct sections — Future of Traditional Architecture and Wooden Structures and To Outer Space — the exhibition brings a comprehensive exploration of this often-mysterious field Complementing the static displays will be a program of talks SENSE OF STRUCTURE promises to be an enlightening and engaging experience for architects over 100 models showcase the engineering that shapes our built world | image © designboom the exhibition premieres a full-scale model of a moon base designed for human habitation | image © designboom four sections explore themes like the future of wood and ventures into outer space | image © designboom discover how structures resist forces like gravity and wind | image © designboom meet the masterminds: a section honors over 50 leading structural engineers | image © designboom exhibition title: SENSE OF STRUCTURE: From Horyuji Temple To The Universe location: WHAT Museum | @what_terrada address: Warehouse TERRADA G Building 2-6-10 Higashishinagawa tickets: find here AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Tricycle is a nonprofit that depends on reader support An interactive digital gallery at the Tokyo National Museum offers a new way to view masterpieces of Japanese Buddhist art  The Tokyo National Museum recently opened a new exhibition space that improves access to important artworks related to the history of Buddhism in Japan. Situated on the mezzanine of the museum’s Gallery of Horyuji Treasures the newly renovated area provides high-quality reproductions of works now too fragile for regular display It also features an interactive digital viewer on a high-resolution 8K monitor allowing visitors to magnify images of the works down to the smallest detail and with greater clarity than would be possible when viewing the originals For its first exhibition, through July 30, 2023, the new gallery presents life-size reproductions of an 11th-century painting that once adorned sliding doors inside Horyuji Temple in Nara Illustrated Biography of Prince Shotoku narrates the life of the temple’s founder Prince Shotoku (574–622) greatly encouraged the spread of Buddhism in Japan founding Horyuji in 607 as well as other centers of Buddhist learning and worship Horyuji presented the Imperial Family with more than 300 Buddhist antiquities now housed in a strikingly modern building within the Tokyo National Museum’s campus will provide the opportunity to view the images on large-scale panels and zoom in on details using the interactive console the two works will alternate with six-month rotations Take a look at some of the gallery’s offerings below New exhibition space at the Tokyo National Museum’s Gallery of Horyuji Treasures offers high-quality reproductions of works too fragile for regular display presented as life-size photographic panels unobstructed by barriers or glass A digital viewer allows visitors to zoom in on details The Illustrated Biography of Prince Shotoku was painted in 1069 some 450 years after Prince Shotoku’s death various legends arose endowing him with superhuman abilities This scene presents Prince Shotoku (center) as a child prodigy able to hear the words of thirty-six playmates at once and repeat everything back perfectly In addition to the power to levitate himself off the ground Prince Shotoku was also said to possess extraordinary skills in archery and horsemanship Among the fifty-eight episodes chosen by the artist to relate the prince’s life is this scene of him literally flying a black stallion up Mount Fuji Although the colors have faded and the pigment has flaked away from the silk backing in places fascinating details can be seen in this scene of an instructor in Korean dress teaching Gigaku dance to Japanese pupils Gigaku was introduced to Japan from the Asian continent in the early 7th century There are musicians with drums under the roof on the left The figure seated on a red cushion under the pavilion (top center) is Prince Shotoku An example of a digital image made from restored glass photographic plates that date back to 1935 before the famous murals in the Kondo Hall of Horyuji Temple were damaged by fire once positioned on the western wall of the Kondo Hall In elegant lines of amazing uniformity and expressiveness the scene represents the Pure Land of Amida and is considered a masterpiece within a masterpiece In recognition of their value as precise records of the Kondo murals prior to their damage in the fire the photographic plates were designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan in 2015 Thank you for subscribing to Tricycle! 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Log In Subscribe now to read this article and get immediate access to everything else Discover what over 30,000 subscribers have access to Full access to 30+ years of content with over 7,775 articles Continuous new writings from leading Buddhist teachers and New York Times bestselling authors Take an online Buddhism course at your own pace By Tony Koji Wallin-Sato By Mike Gillis Stephan Kunze in conversation with Jefre Cantu-Ledesma Please check your email to confirm your subscription Would you like to sign up for our other mailing lists By continuing, you agree to Tricycle’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us Imagine Shotoku Taishi (Prince Umayado) waking up from a very long 1,400-year nap Horyuji temple is the world’s most ancient wooden structure that survives to this day “Hello,” I wonder how he’d react and what he’d say to me Would he want to go back to his quiet Ikaruga no Miya private palace in a jiffy the learning temple of the flourishing law Shotoku Taishi built the temple to house a Yakushi Nyorai The temple consists of many structures and the most iconic of them is Yumedono Yumedono was built about 100 years after the prince’s death on the site where he resided The octagonal structure looks like a miniature version of the Budokan in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward The eight sides remind me of the eight petals of a lotus flower and the Noble Eightfold Path Perhaps it’s designed this way so that energy circulates like a spinning dharma wheel--all pure speculation on my part On top of the pavilion sits a wish-granting flaming jewel Inside the Hall of Dreams is the national treasure Kuse (or Guse) Kannon whose great power saves people who are suffering carved from one piece of camphor wood and gilded with gold leaf appears to have been made in the image of Shotoku Taishi wearing an archaic smile unveiled to the public for a short time only twice a year This perhaps Shinto-influenced concept intrigues me to no end--divine things that are hidden and invisible yet do exist (or are believed to) hold tremendous power It’s a sacred place where the past meets the present dreams mingle with reality and human souls find comfort amid the fleetingness of everything The prince’s spirit lives on in the timeless sanctuary of the Yumedono a Washington-born and Tokyo-based photographer originally appeared in the March 31 issue of Asahi Weekly It is part of the series "Lisa’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan," which depicts various parts of the country through the perspective of the author Memorial held to mark death of Prince Shotoku 1,400 years ago Lisa’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan/ Hokiji Temple: Nara’s best kept secret for quiet contemplation Famed Nara temple puts faith in crowdfunding for upkeep costs Nara Prefecture--A lucky few will get an exclusive viewing of fire-damaged murals that are set to go on limited display at Horyuji temple here The murals are called one of Asia's most significant Buddhist art treasures A total of 500 people who make donations of 10,000 yen ($90) to a crowdfunding campaign will be invited to see the murals at the temple Horyuji's goal is to solicit funds to cover study and research costs in preparation for envisioned unlimited future displays of the murals organized with assistance from The Asahi Shimbun The murals of Horyuji’s Kondo are believed to have been created from the latter half of the seventh century to the early eighth century and are state-designated important cultural properties The Kondo main hall is a national treasure The special session will mark the first step toward future public viewing of the pictures partially destroyed by blazes in 1949 and will last for 11 days within the storehouse on Horyuji’s grounds so I would like many people to learn about them to contemplate how significant cultural properties they are,” said Shokaku Furuya “I hope they are protected via the support of a lot of citizens.” The exhibition plan was announced by the Kondo mural conservation and utilization panel headed by Yoshitaka Ariga a visiting professor of art history at Tokyo University of the Arts The historical asset comprises four large paintings as well as eight smaller pictures drawn on the total of 12 screens at the outer chamber of Kondo which honors the Shakyamuni triad statue as the main object of worship The murals reproduce the Buddhist Pure Lands for Buddha almost all hues on the mural surface disappeared The cultural property protection law was introduced the following year in 1950 amid increased awareness of the need for preservation of historic artifacts The burnt walls and pillars from Kondo were then put in storage at the warehouse built in 1952 and the date of the disaster was registered as the fire prevention day for cultural assets in 1955 While conserving the damaged murals in the storehouse Horyuji started a joint effort to make their copies with The Asahi Shimbun in 1967 Replicas by such painters as Yukihiko Yasuda Seison Maeda and Ikuo Hirayama were devoted to Kondo in 1968 Horyuji set up the mural preservation and utilization committee with the assistance of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and The Asahi Shimbun to discuss making the paintings accessible to the public The board carried out temperature and humidity simulations as part of its warehouse environmental survey in the last fiscal year Results recently released from their study show that a plan to have 10 people view the murals at a time in November will bring about no significant temperature changes compared with those under the no-visitor conditions The humidity level would return to normal two months following the end of the exhibition in the estimate the panel concluded that rendering the facility open to visitors to a limited extent will pose little risk of the murals deteriorating The findings from the upcoming display will be reflected on among other data to decide whether to allow many more people to view the paintings in the future with an eye on renovating the storehouse Up to 10 individuals at one time will be allowed to view the murals when new visitors will replace the previous group A total of 500 spectators will be admitted between Nov The special viewing plan will not be offered on Nov Contributions for the temple will be accepted in two rounds on the Asahi Shimbun crowdfunding platform A-port with a total target of 5 million yen The campaign will end after it has received 500 donors was closed up on July 16 much earlier than the scheduled deadline at 11:59 p.m Those who donate will be able to enter the treasure house Donors during the second round of crowdfunding (Takumi Okada contributed to this article.) Fall exhibition in Kyoto to display rare cultural works to public Nara’s Daianji temple to rebuild long-lost initial form with CGI Daigoji temple plans to expand from Kyoto to outer space in ’23 Osaka museum hosts exhibition celebrating Tempyo art style Image of saints on Phoenix Hall door in 'national treasure class' National Report Nara Prefecture--A crowdfunding drive has raised more than 100 million yen ($738,365) for a seventh-century Buddhist temple--one of Japan's oldest UNESCO World Heritage sites--after its finances were dealt a heavy blow by the novel coronavirus pandemic In just nine days since Horyuji temple launched its campaign to finance the general maintenance of its grounds the funds have exceeded more than five times the initial target “The support we received went far beyond our expectations We can’t thank you enough,” the temple said in an online statement The temple had prepared gifts in return for those who donated but it said some of the items are running short given the overwhelming support Horyuji temple announced its fund-raising drive on June 15 saying it needed to raise 20 million yen to meet upkeep costs This kind of fund-raising effort is common among temples when they plan to repair and renovate cultural properties But it is rare to raise funds for daily costs The temple’s mainstay income is entrance fees That income dropped over the past two years due to the pandemic as the number of visitors plunged But the number fell to 200,000 in the following year The temple said the impact of that is significant since it does not have a system for collecting donations from parishioners The temple undertook cost-cutting measures to restrain spending It said it temporarily cut the renovation costs of large structures and the costs of repairing statues and paintings that are not on the list of designated cultural properties The renovations cost around 50 million yen a year and the repairs typically cost 14 million yen a year If they are designated as cultural properties the temple is eligible for subsidies from the central and local governments The temple also said it reduced the maintenance costs in the compound the temple used to spend about 20 million yen annually for upkeep Tree branches and leaves have been left overgrown in areas out of public view one of Japan’s first properties to be named a World Heritage site will mark the 30th anniversary of its listing next year ‘Sacred’ moss covering stone statues removed at Osaka temple Special viewing of scorched Horyuji temple murals starts Descendants of old foes pray for victims of 1571 temple massacre Nara Prefecture--Horyuji temple here will hold a limited public showing in May of its precious Buddhist mural paintings which were scorched in a fire at the Kondo main hall in 1949 Up to 880 people will be invited to view the murals which are state-designated important cultural properties The exclusive viewing will be for donors to a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for the preservation and utilization of the murals This is the fourth time the wall paintings will be made available to the public but the first time they will be shown in the spring The murals were painted in the late seventh to early eighth century and depict the world of Buddha Considered one of the greatest treasures of Buddhist paintings in East Asia the murals were badly burned in the 1949 calamity They are now kept in a storage facility on the temple grounds in cooperation with the Agency for Cultural Affairs and The Asahi Shimbun established a committee for the preservation and utilization of the murals and continues to conduct research and studies to make them accessible to the public in the future The limited exhibition of the murals will also examine environmental changes in the storage building due to visitors coming in and out of the facility The past three viewing events were held in the fall but will be changed to spring this time to assess the environmental impact of the season with eight visitors each taking a 30-minute turn Crowdfunding starts at 10,000 yen ($66) per donation with a goal of 5 million yen Funds raised will be used to prepare plans for the renovation of the storage facility Applications are being accepted from 9 a.m. on April 3. The application website is (https://readyfor.jp/projects/horyujikondo2024) Donations that do not come with a viewing will also be accepted Horyuji temple murals scorched in 1949 fire to go on special view Horyuji solicits 630 sponsors to view scorched temple murals Panel: Horyuji temple’s murals move closer to public display Horyuji temple murals before 1949 fire to be shown online will present an opera by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) against the backdrop of the world’s oldest wooden structures The Tokyo-based Sawakami Opera Foundation and other organizers said the opera will be “Il Trovatore,” a masterpiece by Verdi who is also renowned for “La Traviata” and “Aida.” We want to portray the conflict between the real world and a different world at Horyuji filled with its mysterious ambience,” said Jun Yamada executive producer at the opera foundation The opera will be conducted by Hirofumi Yoshida the musical director of the philharmonic orchestra of Teatro Comunale Pavarotti-Freni in Modena The production team will hold auditions in Japan and Italy to select singers for four leading roles and three supporting roles the orchestra pit and up to 1,200 seats will be set up in front of Daikodo (Great Lecture Hall) Daikodo’s curtains will be opened for the occasion to unveil three statues of Yakushi Nyorai with Kondo (Main Hall) and the Five-Story Pagoda which are the world's oldest wooden structures and are also designated as national treasures The opera will be performed on four dates from May 18 through 21 opening at 6:30 p.m.Tickets will cost between 5,000 yen ($34) and 25,000 yen and will go on sale from January visit the foundation’s official website at (https://sawakami-opera.org/) The foundation has presented opera performances at other historic and cultural venues in Japan Nara Prefecture--Horyuji temple here has mounted a second crowdfunding campaign to solicit donations from 630 people who will be rewarded for the generosity by being permitted to view murals scorched by a fire inside its Kondo main hall in 1949 The exclusive viewing of the state-designated important cultural properties will start Nov The funds will be used for studies and research to enable future viewing of the murals by the public Believed to have been created from the latter half of the seventh century to the first half of the eighth century the murals adorn a total of 12 screens inside Kondo The paintings are renowned as ancient treasures of Buddhist art in East Asia The fire at Kondo broke out in January 1949 The artifacts have remained in storage at a warehouse in the temple grounds since 1952 Horyuji set up a mural preservation and utilization committee with the assistance of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and The Asahi Shimbun for research into ways to make the murals accessible to the public in the future which will mark the second such occasion since last year during which time art experts will examine the relics The first crowdfunding campaign was from Sept but temple authorities decided to mount a second round because there are openings in the slot Donations of 10,000 yen ($68) or more will be accepted until 9 a.m The drive will stop taking pledges at 9 a.m. For more details, visit (https://readyfor.jp/projects/horyujikondo2022_2) Nara Prefecture--Battered by the coronavirus pandemic Japan's oldest World Heritage site boasting the world's oldest wooden structures Horyuji temple announced on June 15 that it will launch a crowdfunding drive to raise 20 million yen ($148,000) to meet upkeep costs Such a fund-raising effort is common among temples when they plan to repair and renovate cultural artifacts But what is concerning about Horyuji temple is that it has to rely on outside donations to help cover the sheer daily costs of maintaining its compound said while temple officials are worried about how the public will perceive the fund-raising effort “We want to prepare the temple to receive many visitors when the pandemic is under control,” he said “Visits by worshippers will be the biggest assistance to us.” Japan’s first to be named a World Heritage site will mark the 30th anniversary of the listing next year the famed temple appears to be in a condition that is not befitting the prestigious designation Tree branches and leaves have been left overgrown during the past two years as a result of steep shortfalls in revenue resulting from a plunge in visitor numbers The temple’s mainstay income is entrance fees from visitors as it does not have a system of collecting donations from patrons After people’s movements were significantly restricted following the pandemic It rebounded somewhat to about 350,000 in fiscal 2021 the temple undertook cost-cutting measures in three areas One is delaying a project to renovate large structures which typically costs 50 million yen a year for several years The second is repairing statues and paintings But that is not the case with those not on the list of important cultural properties The third area is to maintain its compound But it cut the expenditure by 35 percent and the result is obvious In the temple with a 187,000-square-meter compound stands about 150 buildings 55 are designated by the central government as national treasures the Five-Storied Pagoda and the Hall of Dreams It also houses a collection of about 65,000 fine arts and crafts including 2,500 articles named as national treasures and important cultural assets The temple is said to have been founded in around 607 by Emperor Suiko and Prince Shotoku Nara Prefecture--An exclusive viewing of murals of Horyuji temple’s Kondo main hall started here on Nov 10 for donors to a crowdfunding campaign to preserve the artifacts The first large-scale exhibition of the 12 mural screens in 27 years runs through Nov The state-designated important cultural properties are believed to have been created from the latter half of the seventh century to the first half of the eighth century renowned as ancient treasures of Buddhist art were scorched and damaged by a fire inside Kondo in 1949 Five hundred people who gave to the crowdfunding campaign will be permitted to see the murals at the temple The funds raised are to be used for studies and research to enable future viewing of the murals by the general public came from Amami-Oshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture to see them “I thought the murals were scorched and had been (mostly) destroyed but I'm glad that they were restored and protected,” Nishi said and I hope that lots of people can see them Groups of five are allowed to view the murals at a time for 30 minutes Visitor numbers were limited to prevent deterioration of the murals four large mural screens that reproduce the Buddhist Pure Lands for Buddha Maitreya and Bhaisajyaguru and eight small mural screens describing Bodhisattva have been preserved along with pillars burnt black The storehouse is located east of Kondo and the Five-Storied Pagoda known as the world’s oldest wooden structure are set in the same way as their original locations within Kondo “We would like to prepare fully to allow many people to see the murals and hope that they will understand the importance of cultural properties,” said Horyuji's chief priest graffiti artists join hands to revive Fukushima town Mural of Megumi Yokota in Syria shows solidarity over abductions The manga monk: teaching Buddhism through comics Sanatorium re-examining past dissection cases for properness Experts: Blue light blocking glasses can hurt kids' eye health Digitized images of 363 original glass photographic plates showing seventh-century murals from Horyuji temple before they were damaged in a 1949 blaze will be available online from July 22 whose surface is coated with sensitive materials the Nara National Museum and other organizations A portion of the digitized images were displayed at the Nara National Museum from December 2019 through January 2020 The exhibition organizer decided in May to show the images online to inform the public about the historic and artistic values of the murals even under the government’s stay-at-home request at the time to contain the COVID-19 pandemic “The images are an important resource material that provides the original state of the murals before they were damaged in the fire,” said Shokaku Furuya chief administrator of a Buddhist sect at Horyuji temple “They will also serve as a useful research material as they give us a clearer picture of detailed elements I want many people to become interested in the murals.” used the plates to take 12 life-size pictures of the murals of the temple’s Kondo main hall in 1935 before they were scorched in the fire by dividing them into sections The plates were designated as important cultural properties in 2015 The large and small murals were painted in rich colors inside the hall between the late seventh century and the early eighth century and are considered among the treasures of ancient East Asian Buddhist paintings which include murals of the Ajanta Caves of India and the Dunhuang Caves in China the temple set up a committee to preserve and utilize the murals in cooperation with the Cultural Affairs Agency and The Asahi Shimbun The committee started a project to repair and preserve the plates in 2016 and cleaned them and made boxes to preserve them The government and The Asahi Shimbun Foundation provided subsidies for the digitization of the plates and the museum joined the sections together with cooperation from the center for utilizing cultural assets A staff member said each completed image of a big mural has 30 gigapixels and 17 gigapixels for a small one The digitized images provide a magnified view showing patterns and details of finely drawn lines on the murals that are not visible on the original glass photographic plates “rahotsu” tightly curled hair of an Amida Buddha and each strand of hair of a Buddhist saint can be clearly seen The images also show shades of the saint’s eyebrows Akihiko Takano at the National Institute of Informatics was involved in building a system needed for the online display of the images who heads an education department of the Nara National Museum “It’s unprecedented to digitize recorded data and show them online since we used to just repair cultural assets and preserve them It’ll be a new way of making the most of cultural assets.” The digitized images will be shown on the following special website from 2 p.m. on July 22: (https://horyuji-kondohekiga.jp/) Nara Prefecture—Japan’s oldest Buddhist paintings moved a step forward to their first public display since they were badly damaged in a 1949 fire at Horyuji temple here But it could still take many years before public viewing is available for what have been called the “crown jewels of the art.” The 12 elaborate murals were drawn on the inner walls of the temple’s Golden Hall between the late seventh century and early eighth century They feature Shaka Nyorai (historical Buddha) Yakushi Nyorai (Buddha of healing and medicine) Four murals are about 3 meters by 2.6 meters while the eight others are about 3 meters by 1.5 meters the murals have been stored at the treasure house which was completed in 1952 on the temple’s compound and they have not been shown to the general public has sought to find ways to put them on display on a regular basis in cooperation with the Cultural Affairs Agency and The Asahi Shimbun set up a committee to preserve and use the murals visiting professor of Japanese art at Tokyo University of the Arts concluded the murals were no longer in need of immediate restoration work The panel outlined proposals on what would be needed to display the art to the public including compiling a manual on managing the murals and using an airlock facility to minimize potential damage Panel members said the storage house epitomizes Japan’s efforts to preserve and protect cultural properties from disasters the committee recommended the treasure house install a facility for easy control of ventilation and air conditioning without largely changing the building’s appearance and internal functions hailed the committee’s conclusion although he noted that it will be many more years before the murals will be displayed to the public “I feel we could move a step forward,” he said “We would like the public to know that the precious paintings Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent By Takahiro Natsui and Masafumi Taga / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers OSAKA — December last year marked 30 years since Horyuji temple in Ikaruga became the first Japanese monuments inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage sites list The Yomiuri Shimbun recently interviewed two key individuals involved in the inscription process and asked about their determination to protect the “common heritage of humanity.” “The Horyuji area is a museum that traces the history of Buddhist architecture from the Asuka period when Buddhism was first introduced to Japan a senior official at the Ikaruga Board of Education who was the board’s technical expert on cultural properties at the time of inscription when describing the historical value of the temple shows the style of early Buddhist architecture including the Kondo main hall and the five-story pagoda the oldest known wooden structures in the world Construction of the main structures and sub-temples on the premises has continued uninterrupted Efforts for Horyuji to be inscribed on the World Heritage site list were carried out on the initiative of the central government immediately after Japan signed the World Heritage Convention in 1992 It was registered as Buddhist Monuments in the Horyuji Area “It was the perfect candidate for the government which wanted a Japanese heritage site to be included on the list right away,” Hirata recalled One of the conditions for inscription is that a candidate site is protected by national law and Horyuji had already been designated as a national historic site Another condition was that there must be a buffer zone for the protection of constituent properties which was handled by the site being subject to prefectural ordinances and other regulations the temple’s historic value had already been recognized overseas,” Hirata said the World Heritage sites were not well known in Japan at the time and the news of Horyuji becoming a candidate site didn’t mean anything to many people here.” Many discoveries have been made in the past 30 years including the unearthing of burnt fragments of wall paintings that confirm that the temple was destroyed by a fire in 670 A dendrochronological survey of wooden materials indicated that the Kondo main hall and other buildings had been reconstructed “The temple’s continuing preservation has proceeded in tandem with academic research I hope many people will learn about the temple’s long history,” Hirata said and other famous daimyo served as castellans of Himeji Castle a vital transportation hub for western Japan The donjon was completed in 1609 by Ikeda Terumasa The castle survived the government’s order to demolish castles in the late 19th century and air raids during World War II There are 12 castles nationwide that still have their original structure donjons that were built in the Edo period (1603-1867) or earlier stone walls and moats are still in good condition UNESCO recognized the castles as “a masterpiece of [Japanese] construction in wood combining function with aesthetic appeal.” “We simply conveyed the value of the castle as befitting a ‘treasure of mankind,’” recalled Teruhiko Otani the director of the Himeji City Archaeological Research Center who is familiar with the details of events in the inscription process The castle’s value has been maintained through regular maintenance Traditional repair methods were applied to the wooden pillars and plaster walls The foundation of the castle tower was strengthened with reinforced concrete a necessary measure in earthquake-prone Japan And the measure was judged not to impair its “authenticity,” which is one of the criteria for World Heritage site list inscription many World Heritage sites were stone structures such as castles and churches in Europe “The inscription of Himeji Castle helped to demonstrate the value of wooden structures in Japan and across Asia,” Otani said The tower’s major repairs of the Heisei era (1989-2019) were completed in 2015 with the freshly whitewashed appearance of the castle tower drawing extra attention The World Heritage site covers an area of 107 hectares and is surrounded by the inner moat “There is much more to see than just the castle tower and we would like to convey its value as a World Heritage site by using virtual reality and other technologies,” Otani said there are 1,199 sites in the World Heritage list including the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto Historic Villages of Shirakawago and Gokayama Inscription of the Sado complex of heritage mines is expected to be confirmed this year by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun raised about ¥146 million through crowdfunding from June to July more than seven times the target of ¥20 million The UNESCO World Heritage site began soliciting donations on June 15 to cover costs to prune trees and repair undesignated cultural properties in preparation for next year’s 30th anniversary of UNESCO listing and revenue from admission fees has plummeted amid the coronavirus pandemic The target amount was surpassed in half a day and more than ¥100 million was raised in less than 10 days According to the crowdfunding platform’s website including donations paid into the temple’s bank account and the total amount will be announced on the website on or after Aug “I’m grateful to the many people who wish to protect Horyuji and help pass it on to future generations,” said Horyuji chief steward Shobo Ono “I realized once again the responsibility of the temple.” Nara Prefecture--Shrubbery intended to brighten up a corner of a nondescript parking lot here turned out to be hiding the tomb of an elite figure from ancient times in what is being hailed as a major archaeological discovery Archaeologists have been excavating the area located near the World Heritage site encompassing Horyuji temple since spring 2022 They uncovered numerous artifacts after removing centuries of soil from the stone burial chamber according to researchers from Nara University and the Ikaruga municipal board of education prompting the team members to speculate the stones were used to build Horyuji temple which was completed in the early seventh century “It is possible the ceiling stones were removed for use in the construction of Horyuji temple and the Ikaruga palace where Prince Shotoku (an influential political leader of the era) lived with his family,” said Naohiro Toyoshima a professor of archaeology at Nara University and a member of the research team the stone chamber could have been buried along with all those items,” Toyoshima added The circular site was nothing special to look at when archaeologists started digging It was covered with shrubs and measured around 8.5 meters in diameter and was 1.5 meters high experts from the educational board had long suspected the shrubbery masked an ancient tomb and called it the Funazuka kofun burial mound But their hunch was only confirmed after the recent excavation got under way Swiss fashion house Akris held “A Century in Fashion – Fall 2023 Collection Show” at The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures of Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Tokyo to commemorate the brand’s 100th anniversary The courtyard of the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures packed with the charm of art and architecture To coincide with Akris’ first large-scale fashion show in Tokyo Albert Kriemler has a deep knowledge of art and architecture and has collaborated with talented and renowned artists and architects houses over 300 valuable objects mainly from the 7th and 8th century In 2001 it won the Architectural Institute of Japan Prize The courtyard surrounded by beautiful greenery and ponds that adorns the treasure hall was the perfect location to present the anniversary collection “We are delighted to celebrate our 100-year anniversary with a first official défilé in Japan in the beautiful garden in front of Yoshio Taniguchi’s Gallery of Horyuji Treasures My team found the perfect location for celebrating this occasion with our Fall 2023 collection that we have shown in Paris some weeks ago.” – Albert Kriemler “We are also very excited and pleased about the new boutique concept of David Chipperfield for our new store in Ginza which seems just perfect to move forward into the new century.” – Albert Kriemler Nara Prefecture--A memorial service to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of Prince Shotoku a reformer in his time who steered the nation toward Buddhism kicked off at Horyuji temple here on April 3 The 450 or so guests invited to attend the three-day service all wore face masks as a precaution against infection from the novel coronavirus This year's ceremony was on a scale held only once every 100 years was built in the seventh century at the behest of the prince (574-622) head priest Shokaku Furuya led a procession from the temple’s eastern precinct with 120 others who carried a mikoshi portable shrine to the Lecture Hall A statue of how the prince looked when he was 7 years old was placed on the shrine along with supposed bone fragments of Buddha that fell from the prince’s palm when he was 2 Furuya described the prince’s accomplishments and prayed for world peace and an end to the COVID-19 pandemic including monks at temples associated with the prince There was also traditional court music accompanied by dancing by performers specializing in the art “We want to convey the spirit of cherishing harmony in society that the prince treasured particularly now because we find ourselves in a time beset by a pandemic and strife,” Furuya said in an interview The prince is known for promulgating the Seventeen Article Constitution which begins with a call to value “wa” (harmony) priest restores ruined temple to its former glory East met West on king’s dinner table at Silk Road fortress Japanese version Japanese version Ikaruga Municipal Board of EducationThis parking lot shrub long concealed a sixth-century tomb people walking across a parking lot in Nara didn’t give the shrub a second glance But archaeologists working on excavating the grounds of the nearby Horyuji Temple have determined that the shrub was actually planted atop a sixth-century Japanese tomb According to The Asahi Shimbun experts on the Ikaruga Municipal Board of Education had long suspected that the shrub might be hiding ancient secrets Their hunch proved correct when archaeologists examining the site removed several layers of soil and uncovered an ancient stone tomb about 12 feet long The archaeologists also uncovered a number of grave goods and several items associated with horse riding They believe the tomb dates to around the sixth century and was the final resting place for a societal elite Kunihiko ImaiThe ancient stone tomb discovered under a parking lot in Nara Prefecture As Arkeo News explains the trend of building tombs for influential people — called kofun — emerged in the third century and lasted about 400 years There was one oddity about the tomb discovered under the shrub But archaeologists have an idea of what happened As members of the research team told local media it’s possible that stones from the tomb’s roof were removed at some point so that they could be used in the construction of the Horyuji Temple and other buildings The temple was finished in the early seventh century sometime after the tomb was originally constructed “It is possible the ceiling stones were removed for use in the construction of Horyuji temple and the Ikaruga palace where Prince Shotoku (an influential political leader of the era) lived with his family,” Naohiro Toyoshima an archaeology professor at Nara University and a member of the research team the stone chamber could have been buried along with all those items.” Kunihiko ImaiA clay roof tile from the Asuka Period (592-710) which was discovered the stone burial chamber beneath the parking lot shrub The archaeologists are investigating the area as part of a wider excavation of the grounds near the Horyuji Temple, a World Heritage site and home to the world’s oldest wooden structures. The temple was originally envisioned by the emperor Yōmei, who vowed to build a temple and an image of Buddha as a way to pray for better health, according to the Horyuji Temple site Though Yōmei’s prayer didn’t have the effect he wanted — he died shortly after making his vow — work on the temple continued As Encyclopedia Britannica notes structures were added to the site fairly consistently between the seventh and 19th centuries and are thus a good indication of how interest Buddhism grew in ancient Japan not much is known about the societal elite who was buried in the parking lot kofun Now that their tomb has been uncovered after years of hiding in plain sight perhaps further excavations will reveal more After reading about the centuries-old tomb discovered in a Japanese parking lot, see how archaeologists in Japan once discovered an 1,800-year-old wooden ritual mask during the construction of a monorail. Or, go inside the fascinating discovery of human skulls in Japan that suggest that the ancient Hirota people engaged in intentional deformation Japanese version The Future of AI and Buddhist Teachings (Dr 60th Anniversary of Normalization of Japan-South Korea Diplomatic Relations: Pre.. The Digital Gallery of Hōryūji Treasures : Cutting-edge Tech Brings Treasured Antiquities into Clear View (Jan - Key visual for the exhibition: The Digital Gallery of Hōryūji Treasures at Tokyo National Museum - “Age 11: Powers of Levitation” on the Panel 1 of Illustrated Biography of Prince Shōtoku - Gigaku masks and costumes (Reproduction) 6: The Pure Land of Amida (detail) in the Kondō Hall of Hōryūji Temple Copyright © 2015- Foreign Press Center Japan Today's print edition Home Delivery critical eye on Japan 18 years ago to assess the country's cultural and natural merits with a view — in the agency's ponderous prose — to "inscription on the World Heritage List," it settled on four places that became the nation's first entries to those ranks so adored by tourism associations which lies 70 km off the southern tip of Kyushu in Kagoshima Prefecture; the still largely virginal forests of Shirakami Sanchi straddling Akita and Aomori prefectures in northern Honshu; the beautifully deadly fortress of Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture; and the Buddhist monuments of Horyuji in Nara Prefecture.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); It may have come as rather a surprise to some that Horyuji located 14 km southwest of the city of Nara should have been selected ahead of obviously much more famous Kyoto — and indeed Nara itself As well as being a landmark in Japanese history and the oldest existing Buddhist temple in the land the complex of Horyuji contains the world's oldest wooden buildings In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. Japanese version Public Relations Office, Government of Japan Home > Highlighting JAPAN > Highlighting Japan November 2018 > Living In Tune with Nature: Japan's Connection to Wood Mitsuo Ogawa is a renowned master carpenter who has been the head craftsman on projects for numerous shrines and temples He is the sole apprentice of Tsunekazu Nishioka the descendant of master carpenters who oversaw the construction of Nara’s Horyuji Temple Ogawa shares his thoughts about the high degree of technical skill and craftsmanship that miyadaiku—Japan’s time-honored shrine and temple carpenters—must possess No article or any part there of may be reproduced without the express permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should be made through this form TOKYO: A panel of UNESCO has recommended the registration of a series of techniques of Japanese craftspeople to repair traditional wooden structures for the international body’s Intangible Cultural Heritage officials of Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs said Tuesday A decision on the registration of “traditional skills techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan” is expected to be made at a meeting of an intergovernmental committee of the Paris-based U.N educational and cultural organization in the French capital from Dec The traditional wooden building repair techniques will be the 22nd items from Japan to get UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status and the first since a set of traditional rituals for visits by deities in masks and costumes a Buddhist temple in the western Japan city of Nara and a UNESCO World Heritage site is the oldest wooden building in the world Recommended for registration by the UNESCO panel are 17 sets of traditional techniques that are designated by the Japanese government as being indispensable for the preservation of cultural assets The techniques have been preserved by 14 organizations including the Japanese Association for Conservation of Architectural Monuments the Japan Thatching Cultural Association and the Association for Conservation of National Treasures The government proposed the techniques’ cultural heritage registration to UNESCO in 2018 Japan resubmitted the proposal in 2019 by increasing the number of items in its list the government said that the techniques are very sophisticated as they enable the balance between and integration of original parts used at the time of construction and replacement parts The Cultural Affairs Agency said that the UNESCO panel’s recommendation helps improve the recognition of intangible cultural heritages in general directing the spotlight to the essential relations of such techniques with buildings that are tangible cultural properties Focus features two in-depth reviews each month of fine art a meditation pavilion facing a 600-year-old camphor tree Japanese version Despite its earthquakey nature Japan’s beautiful wooden pergodas do not fall down Years ago, I was told it was because there is a central pole within the structure, that acts as a top-suspended momentum damper – just like the one in the Taipei 101 tower which in that case weights over 600 tonnes (photo below) I was telling my pergoda ‘fact’ to a Japan-o-phile colleague and realised I had never checked its voracity So, off to the internet, which revealed ‘Earthquake response of ancient five-story pagoda structure of Horyu-Ji temple in Japan‘ a paper from the 12th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering This readable paper explains that central column suspended mass damping is indeed a contributor The list of contributions according to the researchers is: The second half of this video explains how the W350 structure works what a lovely tag line Sumitomo Forestry uses: ‘Happiness grows from trees’ The photo of the Horyuji temple pergoda at the top of this page, which is in the beautiful city of Nara* is taken from the Japan Visitor website as I have been to Nara (thank you Omron) – the stunning Agyo statues Tagged with: I wonder if the skyscraper would use engineered wood Though the thought of a skyscraper with dry rot sort of gives one pause for thought Electronics Weekly is excited to launch it's own podcast brought to you by our editor Caroline Hayes You can hear interesting insights from a range of industry figures Catch all the episodes » Sign up for the Electronics Weekly newsletters: Mannerisms Gadget Master and the Daily and Weekly roundups Find out more » Read our special supplement celebrating 60 years of Electronics Weekly and looking ahead to the future of the industry Read the first ever Electronics Weekly online: 7th September 1960 We've scanned the very first edition so you can enjoy it Read the very first edition » Keep up with developments relating to space technology - satellite technology View our busy aerospace section » Keep up with developments relating to the Internet of Things (IoT) - Industrial IoT View our popular Internet of Things section » Keep up with developments relating to Power electronics - MOSFETs View our busy Power section » From modern hotels serviced by robots to the classic ryokan not forgetting the economical and controversial capsule hotels Japan has a huge variety when it comes to staying overnight But in the last months a new option is appearing: a perfect mix between the modernity and the tradition of the country Have you ever spent one night in a Japanese Buddhist temple me neither but I can swear you it’s an AMAZING experience. If you want to know how my experience was & how staying in a temple feels like Staying overnight simply at a temple (called Shukubo in Japanese) isn’t something new for foreign tourists that think and which in recent years is getting relatively famous as an original way to stay with Japanese traditional culture. However luxurious temple lodgings with gorgeous rooms and Japanese meals are a new trend Although formerly only a monk was allowed to stay in a temple from Heain Period (794-1185) some temples started offering a part of his places in the site for travelers to sleep for free or a very cheap rate Nowadays they provide the chance to stay at a Japanese-style room eat traditional Japanese cuisine and learn about Buddhism or temples today I’d like to share my personal experience to stay at a temple accommodation in Japan for the first time I visited Horyuji Temple, a Buddhist temple in Nara Prefecture famous among the Japanese people because it is one of the oldest temples in Japan It’s also the oldest wooden structure in the world and it was once one of the Seven Great Temples The temple lodging that I slept at is located in the site of the temple and it takes only around 45 minutes to get there from Osaka by train or a bit more than one hour from Kyoto (only 10 minutes if you’re in Nara city). The temple lodging is a bit far away from the train station (20 minutes walking) but it depends on the time you arrive a transfer comes to pick you up at the station and takes you to the temple lodging *Please note that this article contains affiliate links Horyuji Temple (法隆寺), founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, it was once one of the Seven Great Temples and it’s the oldest wooden structure in the world You can see how Japan was more than 1,300 years ago mid 6th- beginning of 8th c.). In 1993 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site with Hokki-ji (another old temple in the area) under the name Buddhist Monuments in the Horyuji Area Horyuji Temple is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai promised to built a temple and an image of a Buddha as a way to pray for his recovery That’s why Empress Suiko and Prince Shotoku fulfilled Emperor Yomei’s deathbed wish and built a temple and a statue of Yakushi Nyorai in 607 If you’re interested in learn more about the Horyuji Temple Waqoo Horyuji offer a free tour guide from 10.00 a.m to 12 p.m if you  make a reservation in advance When I arrived at the Horyuji train station You can get there walking too but it takes about 20 minutes and we didn’t want to carry the luggage the first thing you notice is a pleasant smell of incense that certainly reminds you of Japanese temples The second is the incredible and elegant design of the lobby I thought “I have to come here later with a book” who was extremely nice and friendly with us all the time explains the rules of the temple lodging and the distribution (where are the onsen or the restaurant They also ask you what time you want them to prepare dinner to make the reservation at the restaurant and introduce you the activities available during your stay the room left us even speechless as soon as we entered It was a perfect combination between elegance and a traditional Japanese-style room I love ryokan for their traditional Japanese style Waqoo Horyuji’s room had the traditional wooden floor but furnished with a minimalist and luxurious design at the same time In addition to the temple that we have already explained the area has several shops with traditional objects that are very interesting to see since we went to enjoy the temple lodging’s facilities! From a traditional tea ceremony to learn to make matcha art with Yamato matcha (a matcha grew in the historic and tea-appropriate environment of Nara) going through the classics calligraphy and flower arrangement lessons there’s a lot of activities you can join. But one of the activities that I find most interesting since I haven’t seen anywhere else is about making  your one and only nioi-bukuro (scented bag) for protect your health with scents of a combination of around 10 different traditional Chinese medics ingredients a kind of traditional ink you can only try in Nara. Another option if you’re tired and not into doing any activity is go to grab a drink while hearing some of the fascinating talks about Nara’s history and culture that they offer at the Gallery Bar As we had booked the dinner in a late time we took the opportunity to go to the onsen before dinner onsen are thermal baths and are very typical in Japan You have to take a shower before entering to the onsen After several days of sightseeing walking all day we put on the yukatas (summer kimonos) provided by the temple lodging and went to dinner When we arrived the restaurant staff asked our name to confirm the reservation and guided us to our table so you have to take off your shoes to access the tatami floor and the table is a low table so you have to sit directly on the tatami. When we sat for dinner the table was already filled with appetizers and entrees.There was a variety of Japanese delicacies including sashimi and the dishes are brought by the waiters during dinner I especially recommend sake (rice wine) and umeshu (plum wine) We ordered our first drinks after setting and we enjoy the dinner The restaurant staff was also very friendly at all times and we were chatting a bit while we had dinner you can choose between taking another bath at the onsen or attending one of the talks or workshops held at the bar Or stay in the lobby reading a book quietly We decided to end the day testing the bathtub in the room and relaxing watching a movie on Netflix on the television in the room (Yes The beds are so comfortable that almost asleep immediately And I slept without interruption until the alarm rang a Japanese-style breakfast with free buffet is available It was all delicious and a good way to start the day Once we had breakfast we said goodbye to the temple lodging staff and got into the taxi that was waiting for us I would like to stay in the temple lodging or longer I highly recommend to stay at this luxurious temple lodging at Horyuji Temple because it’s a unique experience that maybe you can have only once in a lifetime For four years I have traveled a lot around Japan and I have stayed in all kinds of accommodation from cheap cabin hotels to luxury hotels in downtown Tokyo But this experience was something totally new that cannot be compared with anything. In the luxury hotels of the big cities you can enjoy stunning views and endless activities But in Waqoo Horyuji what you would find is absolute calm and disconnection Something quite difficult to achieve in a country like Japan. Especially if you take a relaxing bath in the temple lodging onsen you will see that when you get to the room you feel totally new I was very much pleased with his hospitality Thank you very much for that luxurious and unbelievable time ▶︎Book this luxury temple lodging at Horyuji Temple in Nara online here! In the following article, we have compiled information on various types of accommodations in Japan, including hotels and traditional Ryokan. With our Japan Accommodation Guide find the perfect lodging experience for you ▽Subscribe to our free news magazine!▽ For more information about traveling and staying in the Kyoto area I started to like Japan because of the anime but after my first trip to the country I found what I love the most: traveling around but I still have many places to discover that I want to share with you as a foreigner living in Japan for over 6 years I understand what kind of things are difficult when you move here and I want to help other people in the same situation that I have in the past