Kohfukuji Temple

This temple was first built as a private residence of Fujiwara no Kamatari in Yamashina-suehara of Yamashiro-no-kuni (current Kyoto prefecture) and named Yamashina-dera, and later, Fujiwara no Fuhito decided to relocate to the current place at the time of the establishment of the Heijo Ⅽapital in 710, and the temple was renamed Kohfukuji.

Kohfukuji temple flourished as one of the four major temples in the Nara period and one of the seven major temples in the Heian period, but most buildings were burned down in 1180 due to the Siege of Nara led by Taira no Shigehira. Once rebuilt in the Kamakura period (1200’s), burning down and rebuilding were repeated in this temple, and then, the great fire occurring in 1717 burned down all main buildings except for Northern Round Hall, Eastern Golden Hall, Five-storied Pagoda, Three-storied Pagoda, and the Refectory. The temple was gradually restored to its former state and the Ⅽentral Golden Hall was completely restored in 2018 for the first time in about 300 years.

Historical buildings of the national treasure are located on the premises such as Northern Round Hall restored in the Kamakura period, Five-storied Pagoda restored in the Muromachi period, and Eastern Golden Hall and the Important Ⅽultural Property, Southern Round Hall, restored in the Edo period. In the National Treasure Hall, treasures of the temple designated as the National Treasure are set including the Ashura statue and dry-lacquer coated wooden standing statues of Hachibushu. It is a great opportunity to appreciate Japanese historical treasures and cultural properties.