浄楽寺, Buddhist temple in Yokosuka, Japan
Joerakuji (浄楽寺) is a Buddhist temple in Yokosuka, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It houses five wooden statues carved by the sculptor Unkei during the Kamakura period, all of which survive in their original form.
The temple was founded during the Kamakura period at the order of shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo, who entrusted the task to Yoshimori Wada. The statues were commissioned shortly after and have remained in this location ever since.
The five statues inside are designated as National Important Cultural Properties of Japan, which is one of the highest forms of official recognition a Japanese artwork can receive. Visitors can view them from close range inside the halls, which is unusual for objects of this standing.
The temple sits in a quiet part of Yokosuka and can be reached on foot from the nearest train station. The statues are not always on display and are only accessible during specific opening periods, so it is worth checking in advance when they can be viewed.
Unkei is considered one of the most important sculptors in Japanese history, yet only around 30 of his works have been confirmed as his. The fact that 5 of them are gathered in a single temple outside a major city makes this place genuinely out of the ordinary.
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