Shiramizu Amidadō, Buddhist temple in Iwaki, Japan
Shiramizu Amidadō is a Buddhist temple in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, built in the Wayō style of the 12th century. The square hall stands in a garden with three ponds and is topped by a shingled roof made of thin wooden boards.
Princess Tokuhime commissioned the complex in 1160 as a memorial for her late husband Iwaki Norimichi. Emperor Go-Toba later recognized the structure as a significant religious monument.
The hall takes its name from Amida Buddha, the central figure worshiped inside by followers who seek rebirth in the Pure Land. Visitors can glimpse the wooden carvings through open side walls, which still reflect the Wayō tradition of temple design.
Admission is available between April and October until 4 PM, and during winter months until 3:30 PM. The complex remains closed on every fourth Wednesday of the month.
Archaeologists uncovered a paradise garden with a pond, pebble beach, ornamental rocks, and a central island between 1972 and 1982. This discovery helped scholars better understand the original design concept of the site.
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