Uchiyama Eikyū-ji, Former Buddhist temple ruins in Tenri, Japan
Uchiyama Eikyū-ji is a former temple complex in Tenri that preserves a surviving pond from its original Pure Land garden design along the Yamanobe-no-michi ancient road. The site still shows traces of this historical garden layout within its natural setting.
Emperor Toba established this temple in 1114, and it subsequently grew into a major religious complex with numerous buildings spread across the grounds. Following the temple dissolution in 1868, the Buddhist clergy transitioned to Shinto priesthood at the nearby Isonokami Shrine.
The temple held strong ties to Kofukuji and received substantial land grants from Toyotomi Hideyoshi, giving it considerable standing among religious institutions of the region.
The ruins are situated about 600 meters south of Isonokami Shrine and can be reached via the southern section of the Yamanobe-no-michi walking trail. This path allows visitors to explore the historical route on foot while encountering the remains of the former temple complex.
When the complex closed, most of the Buddhist structures remained on site because no buyers came forward for the buildings. This left behind an expansive ruin field that gives visitors a sense of the original layout and scale of the installation.
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