Yakushi-ji Temple, Buddhist temple in Nishinokyō, Nara, Japan
Yakushi-ji is a Buddhist temple complex in Nishinokyō, a district of Nara in Japan. It consists of several buildings with curved roofs arranged around a wide courtyard and surrounded by low stone walls.
Emperor Tenmu vowed in 680 to build the temple for the recovery of Empress Jitō, and the complex was nearly complete by 698 in Fujiwara-kyō. After the capital moved to Heijō-kyō, the temple was rebuilt at its present Nishinokyō site from 716 onward, and the East Pagoda was erected there in 730. Fires in 973 and 1528 destroyed most buildings, leaving the East Pagoda as the sole 8th-century structure.
The complex takes its name from the Master of Healing, whose golden statue is venerated in the main hall. Visitors enter through several gates and follow a traditional pilgrimage path that makes the spatial order of a Buddhist monastic city understandable.
Access is by a short walk from Nishinokyo Station or by several bus lines from central Nara. The grounds are flat and easy to walk, so you can move between buildings without much effort.
The eastern pagoda displays a rare construction style with additional smaller roofs between the main floors that act like intermediate levels. This architectural trick fools the eye and makes the tower appear taller than it actually is.
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