Sainoo Haiji Ruins, Buddhist temple ruins in Kotoura, Japan.
Sainoo Haiji Ruins are the remains of an ancient temple whose stone foundations and structural bases reveal how religious buildings were designed during the Nara period. Excavated artifacts show the precise layout of the former temple complex.
The temple began during the Nara period and remained a pilgrimage destination for centuries before gradually emptying during the Heian period. Its decline mirrors shifts in where religious and economic power moved during those centuries.
The site reveals how Buddhist beliefs took root in this local community and shaped daily life. You can sense how religious practices and regional customs were woven together in the people's everyday world.
The site has marked pathways and information boards that guide you through different areas of the former sacred grounds. It helps to walk slowly and examine the foundations to understand how everything was arranged.
Three pagoda foundations sit in a north-south line, which sets this site apart from other temples of the same age. This unusual arrangement hints at how the temple's architects planned their sacred buildings.
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