To-ji

To Ji

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To-ji

is a Buddhist temple

Temple

A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A ??templum?? constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur....
of the Shingon sect

Sect

In its historical usage in Christendom the term has a pejorative connotation and refers to a movement committed to Christian heresy beliefs and that often deviated from orthodox practices....
in Kyoto

Kyoto

Sorry, no overview for this topic
, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
. Its name means East Temple, and it once had a partner, Sai-ji

Sai-ji

or the West Temple was one of the two large Buddhism temples established in Kyoto, Japan....
(West Temple). They stood alongside the Rashomon

Rashomon Gate

was the gate built at the southern end of the monumental Suzaku Avenue in the ancient Japanese cities of Heijo-kyo and Kyoto , in accordance with the Chinese grid-patterned city layout....
, the gate to the Heian capital. It is formally known as which indicates that it previously functioned as a temple providing protection for the nation.

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is a Buddhist temple

Temple

Sect

Kyoto

Sorry, no overview for this topic
, Japan

Japan

Sai-ji

or the West Temple was one of the two large Buddhism temples established in Kyoto, Japan....
(West Temple). They stood alongside the Rashomon

Rashomon Gate

Minami-ku, Kyoto

is one of the eleven Wards of Kyoto in the Municipalities of Japan of Kyoto, Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Its name means "South Ward." It was established in 1955 when it was separated from Shimogyo-ku....
near the intersection of Omiya Street and Kujo Street, southwest of Kyoto Station

Kyoto Station

is the most important transportation hub in Kyoto, Japan. It has Japan's second-largest train station building and is one of the country's largest buildings, incorporating a shopping mall, hotel, movie theater, Isetan department store, and several local government facilities under one 15-story roof....
.

To-ji was founded in the early Heian period

Heian period

The is the last division of classical History of Japan, running from 794 to 1185. It is the period in Japanese history when Confucianism and other Chinese culture were at their height....
. The temple dates from 796

796

Events...
, two years after the capital moved to Heian-kyo.

To-ji is often associated with Kobo Daishi (Kukai

Kukai

Kukai , also known posthumously as , 774–835, was a Japanese people bhikshu, scholar, poet, and artist, founder of the Shingon or "True Word" school of Buddhism....
). The well-known Buddhist priest was put in charge of To-ji in 823

823

Events...
by order of Emperor Saga

Emperor Saga

Emperor Saga was the 52nd Emperor of Japan of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 809 through 823....
. The temple's principal image is of Yakushi

Bhaisajyaguru

Bhai?ajyaguru , more formally Bhai?ajyaguruvaiduryaprabha and also known as the Master of Healing or Medicine Buddha, is the Buddhahood of healing....
Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha.

The pagoda

Pagoda

A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia....
of To-ji stands 54.8 m high, and is the tallest wood

Wood

Wood is an organic material; in the strict sense wood is produced as secondary xylem in the stems of woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs, etc....
en tower in Japan. It dates from the Edo period

Edo period

The , or , is a division of History of Japan running from 1603 to 1868. The period marks the governance of the Edo or Tokugawa shogunate, which was officially established in 1603 by the first Edo shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu....
, when it was rebuilt by order of the third Tokugawa

Tokugawa shogunate

The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the , and the , was a feudalism regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family....
Shogun, Iemitsu

Tokugawa Iemitsu

Tokugawa Iemitsu , sometimes Romanisation Iyemitsu, was the third shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate who reigned from 1623 to 1651. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu....
. The pagoda has been, and continues to be, a symbol of Kyoto. Entrance into the pagoda itself is permitted only a few days a year.

The buildings at To-ji house a variety of ancient Buddhist sculptures. The grounds feature a garden and pond, in which turtles and koi swim. The grounds also house an academically rigorous private school, Rakunan, from which many students are sent to elite universities.

Recognizing the historical and spiritual significance of To-ji, UNESCO designated it, along with several other treasures in Kyoto Prefecture

Kyoto Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Kinki region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto....
, as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto

The UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto encompasses 17 locations in Japan. The locations are in three cities: Kyoto and Uji, Kyoto in Kyoto Prefecture and Otsu, Shiga in Shiga Prefecture....
" World Heritage Site

World Heritage Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 Sovereign state which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term....
.

On the 21st of each month, a famous flea market

Flea market

A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent....
is held on the grounds of To-ji . This market is popularly called Kobo-san, in honor of Kobo Daishi, who died on March 21st. The flea market features a variety of antiques, art, clothes, pottery, some food, and typical second-hand flea market goods. By far the largest market is held on December 21st, as it is the last of the year.

A similar market is held on the 25th of every month at Kitano Tenmangu, also called Tenjin. A Kyoto proverb proclaims, "Fair weather at To-ji market means rainy weather at Tenjin market," calling to mind Kyoto's fickle weather.

A smaller, less-crowded, antique-oriented market is held at the To-ji grounds on the first Sunday of each month.

On July 7, 2007 one of the Live Earth concerts

Live Earth concert, Kyoto

One of the Live Earth concerts in Japan was held at To-ji, Kyoto on 7 July 2007....
(raising awareness for the earth’s climate) was staged at To-ji; artists who played included Bonnie Pink

Bonnie Pink

, known by her stage name, , is a Japanese singer songwriter. She lived in New York during 1998 and speaks English . She writes and composes all her songs, and plays guitar and piano....
, Michael Nyman

Michael Nyman

Michael Laurence Nyman, Order of the British Empire is an England composer of minimalist music, pianist, libretto and musicologist, perhaps best known for the many movie soundtrack he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the film director Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum The Piano to Jane Campion's The Piano....
, Rip Slyme

Rip Slyme

RIP SLYME is a Japanese hip hop group. It is composed of 4 MCs; Ryo-Z, Ilmari, Pes & Su, and 1 DJ, Fumiya. Their sound derives its influences from old school hip hop and other Hip hop music such as The Pharcyde, De La Soul, Public Enemy , Jurassic 5, the Beastie Boys, DJ Premier, Leaders of the New School....
, UA

UA (singer)

, simply known by the stage name UA , is a Japanese singer.Her unusual stage name is a Swahili language word that means "flower" or "kill"....
and the Yellow Magic Orchestra

Yellow Magic Orchestra

'Yellow Magic Orchestra' are an influential Japanese technopop band, formed in 1978. They are renowned as a major influence in Japanese popular music, and for pioneering the technopop music genre....
.

To-ji

See also