Kojima-dera, Buddhist temple in Takatori, Japan.
Kojima-dera is a Buddhist temple in Takatori featuring a main hall built in 1848 and several structures that show traditional Japanese religious architecture. The complex contains multiple buildings arranged on its grounds to serve various religious functions.
The temple was founded in 760 under the order of Empress Koken and became associated with Shingon Buddhism practices. During the Heian period it served as a training center for the Kojima school of the Shingon sect.
The temple houses the Ryokai mandara, a National Treasure painting that depicts Buddhist cosmology. This artwork from the middle Heian period remains displayed here, showing how spiritual concepts were expressed through visual art that visitors can study today.
You can reach this location by taking the Kintetsu Yoshino Line to Tsubosakayama Station and following the marked walking path from there. Wear proper footwear for walking as the path leads uphill to the temple grounds.
The entrance gate comes from Takatori Castle's Ninomon gate and blends secular castle architecture with the sacred space. This reuse of a castle structure shows how different traditions were combined in the temple's design.
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