Shōryaku-ji, Buddhist temple in southeast Nara, Japan
Shōryaku-ji is a Buddhist temple located along the Bodaisen River in southeast Nara, set among stone paths and traditional buildings that line the waterfront. The main hall was reconstructed in 1916 during the Taisho period and serves as the focal point of the grounds.
The temple was founded in 992 by Kenshun, son of the prominent minister Fujiwara no Kaneie, establishing it as a center of Buddhist learning. It suffered severe destruction in 1180 when Taira no Shigehira attacked Nara, though the community later rebuilt it.
The temple houses a gilt bronze Yakushi Nyorai statue from the Asuka period and a Southern Song celadon bowl that speak to its importance as a center of faith and artistic refinement. These treasures reveal how deeply this place was valued by monks and visitors seeking both spiritual guidance and beauty.
Getting to the temple involves taking a local bus from JR Nara Station to Shimoyama, then transferring to a community bus heading toward Maiya-machi. From there, plan for a 30-minute walk through local roads to arrive at the temple grounds.
The monks here developed a sake brewing technique called bodaimoto using wild fungi from nearby forests, a method that profoundly influenced how sake is made in Japan today. This innovation shows how monastic communities shaped not just religion but also everyday crafts and food culture.
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