Fuki-ji, Buddhist temple and National Treasure in Bungotakada, Japan
Fuki-ji is a Buddhist temple and national heritage site in Bungotakada, a city in Oita Prefecture. The main hall displays chamfered wooden columns, crossbeams, and a treasure-chest-style roof covered with traditional ceramic tiles.
A monk named Nin'Mon founded the temple in 718, during the period when Buddhism was spreading across the Japanese islands. The current hall dates from the 12th century and stands as the oldest surviving wooden building in Kyushu.
The Hondo houses a Buddha sculpture surrounded by wooden framework that reflects construction methods from around nine hundred years ago. Every element of the hall follows a geometric layout that shaped temple design throughout western Japan during the medieval period.
The temple sits in a rural area about 30 minutes by car from Usa Station on the JR Kyushu line or 40 minutes from Oita Airport. A vehicle or organized tour is recommended since public transport connections are limited in this part of the countryside.
The entire structure was crafted from a single kaya tree, demonstrating the exceptional carpentry skills of 12th-century builders. This method of construction helped the building withstand earthquakes and typhoons for more than eight centuries.
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