Shōsōin

Shōsōin is a wooden structure in Nara Park built using traditional azekura-zukuri construction with interlocking log walls. The raised warehouse stands 33 meters long, 9.4 meters wide and 14 meters tall on elevated supports.

Empress Kōmyō founded the repository in 756 by dedicating over 600 items to the Great Buddha at Tōdai-ji Temple. Since 1962, the objects formerly kept here have been moved to two reinforced concrete buildings at Nara National Museum.

The repository contains approximately 9,000 artifacts from the 8th century, including Buddhist objects, furniture, musical instruments, and documents from various Asian cultures.

The building is not open to visitors, but you can view it from the outside and appreciate its construction method. Nara Park is centrally located and easy to reach on foot from most landmarks in the city.

The northern section of the warehouse remains permanently sealed and can only be entered by members of the Japanese imperial family. The elevated construction with a clearance of 2.7 meters (about 9 feet) above ground protects objects from moisture and pests.

Location: Nara

Inception: 756

Architectural style: azekura-zukuri

Height: 14 m

Length: 33 m

Width: 9.4 m

Part of: Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara

Website: https://shosoin.kunaicho.go.jp

GPS coordinates: 34.69194,135.83861

Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:02