Abe Monju-in, Buddhist temple in Sakurai, Japan
Abe Monju-in is a Buddhist temple in Sakurai that ranks among the important cultural properties of Japan and displays a seven-meter wooden sculpture from the 13th century. The central hall houses the main figure with four companions, all arranged on a shared platform.
The site originated in the 7th century under a different name and later became a center for pilgrims and believers. In the 9th century the temple received its present name after a monk experienced a vision of a golden image here.
The temple takes its name from a 9th-century monk who saw a golden image of Monju and gave the site its current identity. Visitors can see the wooden figure of the deity on a lion from 1203, funded by donations from many believers.
Access is on foot from the nearest train station, about 17 minutes away, and the complex is open daily for visitors. The main pavilion with the large sculpture forms the focus of the walk through the grounds.
The Kinkaku Ukimi-do Hall displays artworks of the twelve celestial deities and is connected to a prayer practice where people walk seven times around the temple. This tradition is said to protect against misfortune and is still carried out by visitors today.
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