Tamamushi Shrine, Buddhist shrine at Hōryū-ji Temple, Japan
Tamamushi Shrine is a wooden Buddhist container at Hōryū-ji Temple in Nara Prefecture, decorated with iridescent beetle wing inlays and detailed lacquer work. Built in the Shikorobuki style, it has a multi-tiered roof that sits above a box-like chamber that once held Buddha statues.
Craftsmen completed this shrine in the 7th century during the Asuka period, when Buddhist art forms from China reached Japan. In the 13th century, three Buddha statues were stolen from its interior, shifting the purpose of the object from an active reliquary to a historical artwork.
The shrine exhibits architectural influences from Chinese Six Dynasties period, incorporating traditional Japanese craftsmanship with Buddhist artistic elements.
The shrine sits within the Hōryū-ji temple complex in Nara and can be reached from the main hall. Visitors should pay attention to lighting, as natural illumination makes the beetle wing shimmer differently visible depending on the time of day.
The name comes from Tamamushi, a Japanese beetle species whose iridescent green and purple wings were originally placed over the wooden surface. These wings change color depending on the viewing angle, making the object appear alive under different light angles.
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