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107-631: Sengaku-ji ( 泉岳寺 ) is a Buddhist temple belonging to the Sōtō school of Japanese Zen located in the Takanawa neighborhood of Minato-ku , near Sengakuji Station and Shinagawa Station , Tokyo , Japan . It was one of the three major Sōtō temples in Edo during the Tokugawa shogunate , and became famous through its connection with the Akō incident of the forty-seven Rōnin in

214-443: A cloister in a monastery. It is in this sense which it is applied to temples or, more often, subtemples. It can be also found in the name of formerly minor temples risen by chance to great prominence. For example, Kawagoe's Kita-in used to be one of three subtemples of a temple which no longer exist. Less frequent in an ingō are - an ( 庵 , hermitage ) and - bō ( 坊 , monk's living quarters ) . - dō ( 堂 , hall )

321-439: A hattō (lecture hall), a kuin (kitchen/office), a sō-dō (building dedicated to Zazen ), a sanmon (main gate), a tōsu (toilet) and a yokushitsu (bath). In present-day Japanese, sotoba usually has the latter meaning. A temple's name ( jigō ( 寺号 ) or jimyō ( 寺名 ) ) is usually made of three parts. The first is the sangō ( 山号 , mountain name ) , the second is the ingō ( 院号 , cloister name ) and

428-412: A kō-dō (lecture hall), a shōrō (belfry), a jiki-dō (refectory), a sōbō (monks' living quarters), and a kyōzō (scriptures deposit, library)." These are the seven listed as shichidō elements of a Nanto Rokushū ( 南都六宗 , Nara six sects ) temple. A 15th-century text describes how Zen school temples ( Sōtō ( 曹洞 ), Rinzai ( 臨済 )) included a butsuden or butsu-dō (main hall),

535-582: A Buddhist temple, tera ( 寺 ) , was anciently also written phonetically 天良, tera , and is cognate with the Modern Korean Chǒl from Middle Korean Tiel , the Jurchen Taira and the reconstructed Old Chinese dɘiaʁ , all meaning "Buddhist monastery". These words are apparently derived from the Aramaic word for "Monastery" dērā/ dairā/ dēr (from the root dwr "to live together"), rather than from

642-481: A central tower or tenshu ( 天守 , lit. heaven defense) surrounded by gardens and fortified buildings. All of this was set within massive stone walls and surrounded by deep moats. The dark interiors of castles were often decorated by artists, the spaces were separated up using sliding fusuma panels and byōbu folding screens. The Shoin-zukuri style in the Muromachi period continued to be refined. Verandas linked

749-546: A culture called Kokufu bunka (lit., Japanese culture) which was suited to the Japanese climate and aesthetic sense flourished. The shinden-zukuri style, which was the architectural style of the residences of nobles in this period, showed the distinct uniqueness of Japanese architecture and permanently determined the characteristics of later Japanese architecture. Its features are an open structure with few walls that can be opened and closed with doors and shitomi and sudare ,

856-492: A culture called Kokufu bunka (lit., Japanese culture) which was suited to the Japanese climate and aesthetic sense flourished. The shinden-zukuri style, which was the architectural style of the residences of nobles in this period, showed the distinct uniqueness of Japanese architecture and permanently determined the characteristics of later Japanese architecture. Its features are an open structure with few walls that can be opened and closed with doors, shitomi and sudare ,

963-492: A distinctive keyhole shape, i.e. that of a circle interconnected with a triangle. Access was via a vertical shaft that was sealed off once the burial was completed. There was room inside the chamber for a coffin and grave goods. The mounds were often decorated with terracotta figures called haniwa . Later in the period mounds began to be located on flat ground and their scale greatly increased. Among many examples in Nara and Osaka ,

1070-495: A feeling of boldness and weight. Most Buddhist temples in Japan belong to one of four main styles: Buddhist temple complexes consist of a number of structures arranged according to certain concepts or guidelines. The arrangement of the major buildings ( garan haichi ( 伽藍配置 ) ) changed over time. An early pattern had a gate, tower, kondō and kodō in a straight line from south to north. Corridors extended east and west from

1177-585: A much larger scale. As this temple became the Edo bodaiji for the Asano clan, after the seppuku Asano Takumi-no-Kami Naganori for having broken protocol and drawing a sword in the Edo Castle , his funeral and tomb were located here. In 1702, the forty-seven Rōnin led by Ōishi Kuranosuke avenged his death and assassinated Kira Kōzuke-no-suke Yoshinaka . After parading Kira's severed head through Edo, they washed it at

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1284-458: A noblewoman's mansion was transformed into a religious building. Buddhist architecture of the Heian period consisted of the re-emergence of national tastes. The temple Hojoji represents paradise and the pure land, which embodies elements of Pure Land Buddhism. The last formal temple was Motsuji. Muroji is a temple complex found below the mountain of Mount Muro. The area behind the temple is sacred and

1391-505: A number of secondary halls: the Hokke-dō (Lotus Sutra Hall), and the storehouse , called the Shōsō-in , and the adjoining Kōfuku-ji . This last structure is of great importance as an art-historical cache, because in it are stored the utensils that were used in the temple's dedication ceremony in 752, as well as government documents and many secular objects owned by the imperial family. Although

1498-589: A pagoda and then residential spaces for monks. It was in an asymmetrical arrangement that was new and very innovative for this time. Sources lack in the history of its construction and who commissioned it. In the early eighth century this temple was constructed in Nara and has been reproduced into the original layout today. The monumental Yakushi triad exists here. The structure is in bright colors as it also would have originally been. The architecture of Buddhist temples, as that of any structure, has changed and developed over

1605-652: A priority, with buildings grouped under a single roof rather than around a garden. The gardens of the Heian period houses often became training grounds. After the fall of the Kamakura shogunate in 1333, the Ashikaga shogunate was formed, having later its seat in the Kyoto district of Muromachi. The proximity of the shogunate to the imperial court led to a rivalry in the upper levels of society which caused tendencies toward luxurious goods and lifestyles. Aristocratic houses were adapted from

1712-538: A shrine, a Buddhist temple is not primarily a place of worship: its most important buildings are used for the safekeeping of sacred objects (the honzon , equivalent to a shrine's shintai ) and are not accessible to worshipers. Unlike a Christian church, a temple is also a monastery . There are specialized buildings for certain rites, but these are usually open only to a limited number of participants. Religious mass gatherings do not take place with regularity as with Christian religions and are in any event not held inside

1819-534: A structure in which shoes are taken off to enter the house on stilts, and sitting or sleeping directly on tatami mats without using chairs and beds. As the samurai class gained power in the Kamakura period (1185–1333), the shinden-zukuri style changed, and in the Muromachi period (1333–1573), the shoin-zukuri style appeared. This style had a lasting influence on later Japanese architectural styles and became

1926-417: A structure in which shoes are taken off to enter the house on stilts, sitting or sleeping directly on tatami mats without using chairs and beds, a roof made of laminated hinoki (Japanese cypress) bark instead of ceramic tiles, and a natural texture that is not painted on pillars. A Buddhist architectural style called Wayō , which developed in accordance with the Japanese climate and aesthetic sense,

2033-547: A style that was a precursor to the later aristocratic-style of building known as shinden-zukuri . The style was characterised by symmetrical buildings placed as arms that defined an inner garden. This garden then used borrowed scenery to seemingly blend with the wider landscape. A gradual increase in the size of buildings led to standard units of measurement as well as refinements in layout and garden design. In 894, Japan abolished kentōshi (Japanese missions to Tang China) and began to distance itself from Chinese culture, and

2140-520: A temple is called kaisan ( 開山 , lit. opening of the mountain ) for this reason. No fixed rules for its formation exist, but the sangō is basically topographical in origin, as in Hieizan Enryaku-ji: these two names together mean " Mount Hiei 's Enryaku-ji ". For this reason it is sometimes used as a personal name, particularly in Zen . There may be however some other semantic relationship between

2247-426: A type of cypress called hinoki were used for roofs. It was sometime during this period that the hidden roof , a uniquely Japanese solution to roof drainage problems, was adopted. The increasing size of buildings in the capital led to an architecture reliant on columns regularly spaced in accordance with the ken , a traditional measure of both size and proportion. The imperial palace Shishinden demonstrated

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2354-503: A well at the temple and presented it on the altar in front of Asano's tomb. They then surrendered to the authorities and were subsequently ordered by the Shōgun to commit seppuku . Their tombs were built at Sengaku-ji next to that of their master. This story became famous through the Kabuki epic Chūshingura and their graves became a popular site of pilgrimage. The graves of Asano Naganori and of

2461-401: Is a significant distance, perhaps a graveled courtyard, between the two. Another structure or space of great importance accommodates the physical day-to-day needs of the clergy. Spaces for eating, sleeping and studying are essential, particularly in those temples that serve as monasteries. According to a 13th-century text, "a garan is a temple with a kon-dō (main hall), a tō ( pagoda ),

2568-406: Is a wooden box made of thick boards joined in the corners in a log cabin style and supported on eight pillars. The roof is thatched but, unlike the typically hipped roof of the pit dwellings, it is a simple V-shaped gable . Some authors credit the raised structure designs of this period to contact with the rice-cultivating Austronesian peoples from coastal eastern China or Taiwan, rather than

2675-437: Is associated with Shinto and rōmon with Buddhism. Some shrines, for example Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū , have a Buddhist-style main gate called sōmon . Many temples have a temizuya and komainu , like a shrine. Conversely, some shrines make use of incense or have a shōrō belltower . Others – for example, Tanzan Shrine in Nara – even have a pagoda . Similarities between temples and shrines are also functional. Like

2782-429: Is itself in some measure not absolute as entire walls can be removed, opening the temple to visitors. Verandas appear to be part of the building to an outsider, but part of the external world to those in the temple. Structures are therefore made to a certain extent part of their environment. The use of construction modules keeps proportions between different parts of the edifice constant, preserving its overall harmony. (On

2889-531: Is normally used in the name of particular buildings of a temple's compound, e.g. Kannon-dō, but can be employed as a name of minor or small temples. The only name in common use is however the jigō , (ending in -ji, -tera, -dera ( 〜寺 , ... temple) ) which can then be considered the main one. The sangō and ingō are not, and never were, in common use. The character - ji it contains is sometimes pronounced tera or dera as in Kiyomizu-dera , normally when

2996-465: Is not native, but imported from China and other Asian cultures over the centuries with such constancy that the building styles of all Six Dynasties are represented. Its history is, as a consequence, dominated by Chinese and other Asian techniques and styles (present even in Ise Shrine , held to be the quintessence of Japanese architecture) on one side, and by Japanese original variations on those themes on

3103-465: Is off limits to visitors and pilgrims. The caves of Mount Muro are especially sacred. The famous Dragon Cave is the thought to house the Dragon King who protects the country. This is an example of how natural elements are sacred aspects of Buddhist temples. There are four great temples of the seventh century: Asukadera, Kudara Odera, Kawaradera and Yakushiji. This great hall had three golden halls and

3210-408: Is the choice of materials, always wood in various forms (planks, straw, tree bark, paper, etc.) for almost all structures. Unlike both Western and some Chinese architecture , the use of stone is avoided except for certain specific uses, for example temple podia and pagoda foundations. The general structure is almost always the same: posts and lintels support a large and gently curved roof, while

3317-423: Is the sacred space where images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas are kept, and where important rituals are performed. These areas are always separated from those accessible to the lay worshipers, though the distance between the two and the manner of their separation is quite varied. In many temples, there is little more than a wooden railing dividing the sacred space with that of the laypeople, but in many others there

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3424-407: Is today a leader in cutting-edge architectural design and technology. The earliest Japanese architecture was seen in prehistoric times in simple pit-houses and stores adapted to the needs of a hunter-gatherer population. Influence from Han dynasty China via Korea saw the introduction of more complex grain stores and ceremonial burial chambers. The introduction of Buddhism in Japan during

3531-610: The honji suijaku theory brought to the almost complete fusion of kami worship and Buddhism. It became normal for shrines to be accompanied by temples in mixed complexes called jingū-ji ( 神宮寺 , lit. shrine temple) or miyadera ( 宮寺 , lit. shrine temple) . The opposite was also common: most temples had at least a small shrine dedicated to its tutelary kami and were therefore called jisha ( 寺社 , temple shrines) . The Meiji era eliminated most jingūji , but left jisha intact, such that even today most temples have at least one shrine, sometimes very large, on their premises, and

3638-505: The Taira clan in 1180. Many of these temples and shrines were later rebuilt by the Kamakura shogunate to consolidate the shōgun ' s authority. Although less elaborate than during the Heian period, architecture in the Kamakura period was informed by a simplicity due to its association with the military order. New residences used a buke-zukuri style that was associated with buildings surrounded by narrow moats or stockades. Defense became

3745-431: The sangō and the san'in-jigō , as for example in the case of Rurikōzan Yakushi-ji . The sangō and the jigō are simply different names of the same god. Sometimes the sangō and the jigō are both posthumous names , for example of the founder's mother and father. The character in ( 院 ) , which gives the ingō its name, originally indicated an enclosure or section and therefore, by analogy, it later came to mean

3852-455: The "47 Rōnin " were designated a National Historic Site in 1922 Each year on 14 December, the temple holds a festival commemorating the 47 Rōnin . The temple maintains a museum displaying the personal belongings of the 47 Rōnin and displays on the events of the Akō incident. The temple also has the graves of Asano Naganori's widow, Yozen-in (1674-1714) and his younger Asano Nagahiro (1670-1734) who

3959-564: The 18th century. Sengaku-ji was founded as a small chapel by founding shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1612 and was initially located in Sotosakura, near modern Kasumigaseki . After it was destroyed in the Kan'ei Fire of 1641, third shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu ordered the five daimyō clans of Mori , Asano , Kutsuki , Niwa and Mizutani to rebuild the temple at its present location in Takanawa, but on

4066-527: The Buddhist goddess Benzaiten is often worshiped at Shinto shrines. As a consequence, for centuries shrines and temples had a symbiotic relationship where each influenced the other. Shrines took from Buddhism its gates ( mon ), the use of a hall for lay worshipers, the use of vermilion -colored wood and more, while Chinese Buddhist architecture was adapted to Japanese tastes with more asymmetrical layouts, greater use of natural materials, and an adaptation of

4173-709: The Commercial Museum, thought to have been the city's first brick building. In Tokyo, after the Tsukiji area burnt to the ground in 1872, the government designated the Ginza area as model of modernization. The government planned the construction of fireproof brick buildings, and larger, better streets connecting the Shimbashi Station and the foreign concession in Tsukiji, as well as to important government buildings. Designs for

4280-505: The Han. The Kofun period marked the appearance of many-chambered burial mounds or tumuli ( kofun literally means "old mounds"). Similar mounds in Korean Peninsula are thought to have been influenced by Japan. Early in the period, the tombs, known as "keyhole kofun " or zenpō-kōen-fun ( 前方後円墳 ) , often made use of the existing topography, shaping it and adding man-made moats to form

4387-441: The Heian period they began to be refined during the Edo period . Machiya typically occupied deep, narrow plots abutting the street (the width of the plot was usually indicative of the wealth of the owner), often with a workshop or shop on the ground floor. Tiles rather than thatch were used on the roof and exposed timbers were often plastered in an effort to protect the building against fire. Ostentatious buildings that demonstrated

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4494-598: The White Heron castle) are excellent examples of the castles of the period, while Nijō Castle in Kyōto is an example of castle architecture blended with that of an imperial palace, to produce a style that is more in keeping with the Chinese influence of previous centuries. The Tokugawa shogunate took the city of Edo (later to become part of modern-day Tōkyō) as their capital. They built an imposing fortress around which buildings of

4601-728: The aid of storage jars. Later in the period, a colder climate with greater rainfall led to a decline in population, which contributed to an interest in ritual. Concentric stone circles first appeared during this time. During the Yayoi period, the Japanese people began to interact with the Chinese Han dynasty , whose knowledge and technical skills began to influence them. The Japanese began to build raised-floor storehouses as granaries, which were constructed using metal tools like saws and chisels that began to appear at this time. A reconstruction in Toro, Shizuoka

4708-592: The area were provided by the British architect Thomas James Waters ; the Bureau of Construction of the Ministry of Finance was in charge of construction. In the following year, a Western-style Ginza was completed. "Bricktown" buildings were initially offered for sale, later they were leased, but the high rent meant that many remained unoccupied. Nevertheless, the area flourished as a symbol of "civilization and enlightenment", thanks to

4815-437: The arrival of Buddhism, but they consisted either of demarcated land areas with no building, or of temporary shrines, erected when needed. With the arrival of Buddhism in Japan in the 6th century, shrines were subjected to its influence and adopted both the concept of permanent structures and the architecture of Buddhist temples. The successive development of shinbutsu-shūgō (syncretism of Buddhism and kami worship) and of

4922-418: The article ken ). Even in cases as that of Nikkō Tōshō-gū , where every available space is heavily decorated, ornamentation tends to follow, and therefore emphasize, rather than hide, basic structures. Being shared by both sacred and profane architecture, these features made it easy converting a lay building into a temple or vice versa. This happened for example at Hōryū-ji , where a noblewoman's mansion

5029-485: The basis of modern Japanese houses. Its characteristics were that sliding doors called fusuma and paper windows called shōji were fully adopted, and tatami mats were laid all over the room. The introduction of the tea ceremony emphasised simplicity and modest design as a counterpoint to the excesses of the aristocracy. In the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568–1600), sukiya-zukuri style villas appeared under

5136-435: The building normally consists of a single room at the center called moya , from which sometimes depart other less important spaces, for example corridors called hisashi . Inner space divisions are fluid, and room size can be modified through the use of screens or movable paper walls. The large, single space offered by the main hall can therefore be altered according to the need. The separation between inside and outside

5243-424: The building to an outsider, but part of the external world to those in the building. Structures are therefore made to a certain extent part of their environment. Care is taken to blend the edifice into the surrounding natural environment. The use of construction modules keeps proportions between different parts of the edifice constant, preserving its overall harmony. (On the subject of building proportions, see also

5350-544: The canals. The dōzō were built with a structural frame made of timber coated with a number of layers of earthen plaster on the walls, door and roof. Above the earthen roofs was a timber framework supporting a tiled roof. Although Japanese who had studied with the Dutch at their settlement in Dejima advocated building with stone and brick this was not undertaken because of their vulnerability to earthquakes. Machiya and storehouses from

5457-416: The case of temples and shrines. Simpler solutions are adopted in domestic structures. The oversize eaves give the interior a characteristic dimness, which contributes to the building's atmosphere. The interior of the building normally consists of a single room at the center called moya , from which depart any other less important spaces. Inner space divisions are fluid, and room size can be modified through

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5564-424: The center) limited. The roof is the most visually impressive component, often constituting half the size of the whole edifice. The slightly curved eaves extend far beyond the walls, covering verandas, and their weight must therefore be supported by complex bracket systems called tokyō . These oversize eaves give the interior a characteristic dimness, which contributes to the temple's atmosphere. The interior of

5671-417: The centuries. However, while the particular details may vary, the general themes and styles have strong similarities and common origins. The already mentioned Hōryū-ji was one of the first Buddhist temples built in Japan. Its primary structures represent the style current in 6th century CE Sui dynasty China. The Kondō (Golden Hall) is a double-roofed structure, supported by thick, strong pillars, and giving

5778-749: The country taught its own architects and began to express its own style. Architects returning from study with Western architects introduced the International Style of modernism into Japan. However, it was not until after the Second World War that Japanese architects made an impression on the international scene, firstly with the work of architects like Kenzo Tange and then with theoretical movements, like Metabolism . In traditional Japanese architecture, there are various styles, features and techniques unique to Japan in each period and use, such as residence, castle , Buddhist temple and Shinto shrine . On

5885-496: The court and the laity in the capital. The irregular topography of these sites forced their designers to rethink the problems of temple construction, and in so doing to choose more indigenous elements of design. At this time the architectural style of Buddhist temples began to influence that of the Shintō shrines . For example, like their Buddhist counterparts the Shintō shrines began to paint

5992-482: The design of chashitsu (tea houses) to a modest size with simple detailing and materials. A typically sized Chashitsu is 4 1/2 tatami mats in size. In the garden, Zen principles replaced water with sand or gravel to produce the dry garden ( karesansui ) like the one at Ryōan-ji . During the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568–1600) Japan underwent a process of unification after a long period of civil war. It

6099-513: The early 7th century as the private temple of Crown Prince Shōtoku , it consists of 41 independent buildings; the most important ones, the main worship hall, or Kon-dō (金堂, Golden Hall), and the five-story pagoda ), stand in the centre of an open area surrounded by a roofed cloister ( kairō ). The Kon-dō, in the style of Chinese worship halls, is a two-story structure of post-and-beam construction, capped by an irimoya , or hipped-gabled, roof of ceramic tiles. Heijō-kyō , modern day Nara,

6206-581: The end of the Tokugawa shogunate, Western influence in architecture began to show in buildings associated with the military and trade, especially naval and industrial facilities. After the Emperor Meiji was restored to power (known as the Meiji Restoration ) Japan began a rapid process of Westernization which led to the need for new building types such as schools, banks and hotels. Early Meiji Architecture

6313-492: The flanks of the gate, then turned north, and finally joined north of the kōdo , forming a cloister around the pagoda and the major halls. This pattern, typified by Shitennō-ji in Osaka , came from China via Baekje ; the Chinese style of Buddhist temples, though altered somewhat by China via Korean peninsula , ultimately was based on that of Chinese palaces, and this is evident in many of the basic design features that remain today in

6420-491: The following Muromachi period (1336–1573), Japanese Buddhist architecture made technological advances that made it diverge from its Chinese counterpart. In response to native requirements such as earthquake resistance and shelter against heavy rainfall and the summer heat and sun, the master carpenters of this time responded with a unique type of architecture, creating the Daibutsuyō and Zenshūyō styles. The Wayō style

6527-510: The ground, with tiled or thatched roofs. Sliding doors ( fusuma ) and other traditional partitions were used in place of walls, allowing the internal configuration of a space to be customized for different occasions. People usually sat on cushions or otherwise on the floor, traditionally; chairs and high tables were not widely used until the 20th century. Since the 19th century, however, Japan has incorporated much of Western, modern , and post-modern architecture into construction and design, and

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6634-452: The influence of a tea house called chashitsu . At first it was an architectural style for the villas of daimyo (Japanese feudal lords) and court nobles, but in the Edo period (1683–1807) it was applied to ryōtei (Japanese-style restaurants) and chashitsu , and later it was also applied to residences. During the Meiji Restoration of 1868 the history of Japanese architecture was radically changed by two important events. The first

6741-454: The interiors of residential buildings with highly cultivated exterior gardens. Fusuma and byōbu became highly decorated with paintings and often an interior room with shelving and alcove ( tokonoma ) were used to display art work (typically a hanging scroll). During this period, sukiya-zukuri style villas appeared under the influence of a tea house called chashitsu (tea house). Matsumoto , Kumamoto and Himeji (popularly known as

6848-466: The introduction of Buddhism . New temples became centers of worship with tomb burial practices quickly becoming outlawed. Also, Buddhism brought with it the idea of permanent shrines and gave to Shinto architecture much of its present vocabulary. Some of the earliest structures still extant in Japan are Buddhist temples established at this time. The oldest surviving wooden buildings in the world are found at Hōryū-ji , northeast of Nara . First built in

6955-580: The later part of the period are characterised by having a black coloration to the external plaster walls. This colour was made by adding India ink to burnt lime and crushed oyster shell. The clean lines of the civil architecture in Edo influenced the sukiya style of residential architecture. Katsura Detached Palace and Shugaku-in Imperial Villa on the outskirts of Kyōto are good examples of this style. Their architecture has simple lines and decor and uses wood in its natural state. The sukiya style

7062-478: The main hall is a Rushana Buddha, the figure that represents the essence of Buddhahood , just as Tōdai-ji represented the centre for imperially sponsored Buddhism and its dissemination throughout Japan. Only a few fragments of the original statue survive, and the present hall and central Buddha are reconstructions from the Edo period . Clustered around the main hall (the Daibutsuden) on a gently sloping hillside are

7169-400: The main scene is the parking lot with tour buses. The foundation remains might be those of the remains found on the site of Kibi Pond (Kibi Ike). This grand temple had a nine-story pagoda that was constructed at the beginnings of Buddhism in Japan. The excavations and reconstruction of Kawaradera help to understand what it originally looked like. The plan originally had two golden halls with

7276-404: The mainstream. Shoin-zukuri had a lasting impact on later Japanese housing and is the basis of modern Japanese housing. In the old architectural style, tatami mats were laid only in a part of the room, but in the shoin-zukuri style, tatami mats were laid all over the room. In this style, sliding doors called fusuma were used to separate rooms, and an inner window called shoji , which

7383-440: The monastery to the pre-existing natural environment. The clear separation between Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, which today is the norm, emerges only as a result of the shinbutsu bunri ("separation of kami and Buddhas") law of 1868. This separation was mandated by law, and many shrine-temples were forced to become just shrines, among them famous ones like Usa Hachiman-gū and Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū . Because mixing

7490-551: The most notable is the Daisen-kofun , designated as the tomb of Emperor Nintoku . The tomb covers 32 hectares (79 acres) and it is thought to have been decorated with 20,000 haniwa figures. Towards the end of the Kofun period, tomb burials faded out as Buddhist cremation ceremonies gained popularity. The most significant contributor to architectural changes during the Asuka period was

7597-418: The network of Buddhist temples across the country acted as a catalyst for an exploration of architecture and culture, this also led to the clergy gaining increased power and influence. Emperor Kanmu decided to escape this influence by moving his capital first to Nagaoka-kyō and then to Heian-kyō , known today as Kyōto . Although the layout of the city was similar to Nara's and inspired by Chinese precedents,

7704-412: The normally unfinished timbers with the characteristic red cinnabar colour. During the later part of the Heian period there were the first documented appearances of vernacular houses in the minka style/form. These were characterized by the use local materials and labor, being primarily constructed of wood, having packed earth floors and thatched roofs. During the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and

7811-404: The north-east of Kyoto , is said to defend the city from evil spirits by being placed in that direction. The arrangements of mountains and other geographic features in particular directions around the temple play important roles as well. This custom continued for a long time. Eight centuries after the founding of Enryaku-ji, the Tokugawa shogunate established Kan'ei-ji in a similar direction for

7918-493: The other hand, especially in ancient times, it was strongly influenced by Chinese culture like other Asian countries, so it has characteristics common to architecture in Asian countries. Partly due, also, to the variety of climates in Japan, and the millennium encompassed between the first cultural import and the last, the result is extremely heterogeneous, but several practically universal features can nonetheless be found. First of all

8025-433: The other. Partly due also to the variety of climates in Japan and the millennium encompassed between the first cultural import and the last, the result is extremely heterogeneous, but several practically universal features can be found nonetheless. First of all is the choice of materials, always wood in various forms (planks, straw, tree bark, etc.) for almost all structures. Unlike both Western and some Chinese architecture,

8132-450: The palaces, temples and dwellings began to show examples of local Japanese taste. Heavy materials like stone , mortar and clay were abandoned as building elements, with simple wooden walls, floors and partitions becoming prevalent. Native species like cedar ( sugi ) were popular as an interior finish because of its prominent grain, while pine ( matsu ) and larch ( aka matsu ) were common for structural uses. Brick roofing tiles and

8239-516: The presence of newspapers and magazine companies, who led the trends of the day. The area was also known for its window displays, an example of modern marketing techniques. The "Bricktown" of Ginza served as a model for many other modernization schemes in Japanese cities. One of the prime examples of early western architecture was the Rokumeikan , a large two-story building in Tokyo, completed in 1883, which

8346-598: The protection of their Edo Castle . Its mountain-name, Mount Tōei (東 叡 山 Tōei-zan ), takes a character from Mount Hiei (比 叡 山 Hiei-zan ), and can be interpreted as meaning "the Mount Hiei of the East." Kamakura 's Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū is now only a Shinto shrine but, before the Shinto and Buddhism Separation Order ( 神仏判然令 ) of 1868, its name was Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū-ji ( 鶴岡八幡宮寺 , Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine Temple ) and it

8453-647: The rest of the name is an indigenous name ( kun'yomi ). Temples are sometimes known by an unofficial but popular name. This is usually topographical in origin, as for example in the case of Asakusa 's Sensō-ji , also known as Asakusa-dera. A temple can also be named after a special or famous characteristic, as for example in the case Kyoto 's Saihō-ji , commonly called Koke-dera, or "moss temple" because of its famous moss garden. Unofficial names can have various other origins. Japanese architecture Japanese architecture ( 日本建築 , Nihon kenchiku ) has been typified by wooden structures, elevated slightly off

8560-550: The simple buke-zukuri style to resemble the earlier shinden-zukuri style. A good example of this ostentatious architecture is the Kinkaku-ji in Kyōto, which is decorated with lacquer and gold leaf , in contrast to its otherwise simple structure and plain bark roofs. During the Muromachi period, shinden-zukuri style, which was the mainstream of the residences of Japanese nobles, declined, and shoin-zukuri , which developed from buke-zukuri of samurai class residences, became

8667-588: The sixth century was a catalyst for large-scale temple building using complicated techniques in wood. Influence from the Chinese Sui and Tang dynasties led to the foundation of the first permanent capital in Nara . Its checkerboard street layout used the Chinese capital of Chang'an as a template for its design. In 894 during the Heian period (794–1185), Japan abolished kentōshi (Japanese missions to Tang China) and began to distance itself from Chinese culture, and

8774-434: The state administration and residences for the provincial daimyōs were constructed. The city grew around these buildings connected by a network of roads and canals. By 1700 the population had swollen to one million inhabitants. The scarcity of space for residential architecture resulted in houses being built over two stories, often constructed on raised stone plinths. Although machiya (townhouses) had been around since

8881-436: The subject of temple proportions, see also the article ken ). Even in cases as that of Nikkō Tōshō-gū , where every available space is heavily decorated, ornamentation tends to follow, and therefore emphasize rather than hide, basic structures. Being shared by both sacred and profane architecture, these architectonic features made it easy converting a lay building into a temple. This happened for example at Hōryū-ji, where

8988-447: The temple. If many people are involved in a ceremony, it will assume a festive character and will be held outdoors. The architectural elements of a Buddhist temple are meant to embody themes and teachings of Buddhism. The reason for the great structural resemblances between the Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines lies in their common history. When Shintoism first encountered Buddhism it became more interpretive as it did not try to explain

9095-480: The temples of all three countries. A Buddhist temple complex in Japan generally follows the pattern of a series of sacred spaces encircling a courtyard, and entered via a set of gates. These gates will typically have a pair of large guardian statues, called Niō . In addition, many of the more important or powerful temples are built in locations that are favorable according to the precepts of Chinese geomancy . For example, Enryaku-ji, which sits atop Mount Hiei to

9202-411: The third is the san'in-jigō ( 山院寺号 , temple name ) . Even though they may be located at the bottom of a valley, temples are metaphorically called mountains and even the numbers used to count them carry the ending - san or - zan ( 山 ) , hence the name sangō . This tradition goes back to the times when temples were primarily monasteries purposely built in remote mountainous areas. The founding of

9309-669: The two religions was now forbidden, jingūji had to give away some of their properties or dismantle some of their buildings, thus damaging the integrity of their cultural heritage and decreasing the historical and economic value of their properties. For example, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū's giant Niō (the two wooden wardens usually found at the sides of a temple's entrance), being objects of Buddhist worship and therefore illegal where they were, were sold to Jufuku-ji , where they still are. The shrine-temple also had to destroy Buddhism-related buildings, for example its tahōtō , its mi dō and its shichidō garan . Buddhist architecture in Japan

9416-477: The universe as Buddhism sometimes tried to. It is normal for a temple to have been also a shrine, and obvious architectural differences between the two are few, such that often only a specialist will notice them. Many visitors to Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines go for similar reasons, such as prayer and for luck. The two religions coexist due to increased popularity of religions and the birth of new religions. Shrines enshrining local kami existed long before

9523-425: The unrelated and later Indian word for monastery vihara , and may have been transmitted by the first Central Asian translators of Buddhist scriptures, such as An Shigao or Lokaksema . In Japan, Buddhist temples co-exist with Shinto shrines and both share the basic features of Japanese traditional architecture . Both torii and rōmon mark the entrance to a shrine, as well as to temples, although torii

9630-442: The use of screens or movable paper walls. The large, single space offered by the main hall can therefore be divided according to the need. For example, some walls can be removed and different rooms joined temporarily to make space for some more guests. The separation between inside and outside is itself in some measure not absolute as entire walls can be removed, opening a residence or temple to visitors. Verandas appear to be part of

9737-730: The use of stone is avoided except for certain specific uses, for example temple podia and pagoda foundations. The general structure is almost always the same: post and lintel support a large and gently curved roof, while the walls are paper-thin, often movable and in any case non-carrying. The post and lintel structure embodies the Axis Mundi of an iconic form of the Buddha that is typically represented in pagodas and Indian stupas . Arches and barrel roofs are completely absent. Gable and eave curves are gentler than in China and columnar entasis (convexity at

9844-502: The walls are paper-thin, often movable and never load-bearing . Arches and barrel roofs are completely absent. Gable and eave curves are gentler than in China and columnar entasis (convexity at the center) limited. The roof is the most visually impressive component, often constituting half the size of the whole edifice. The slightly curved eaves extend far beyond the walls, covering verandas , and their weight must therefore be supported by complex bracket systems called tokyō , in

9951-582: The wealth and power of the feudal lords were constructed, such as the Kamiyashiki of Matsudaira Tadamasa or the Ōzone Shimoyashiki . Edo suffered badly from devastating fires and the 1657 Great Fire of Meireki was a turning point in urban design. Initially, as a method of reducing fire spread, the government built stone embankments in at least two locations along rivers in the city. Over time these were torn down and replaced with dōzō storehouses that were used both as fire breaks and to store goods unloaded from

10058-576: Was allowed by the Shogunate to re-establish the Asano clan as a hatamoto . With regards to the graves of the "47 Rōnin ", there are actually 48 graves, as the grave of Kayano Shigezane (also known as "Sanpei") is included in their number. Kayano was one of the Asano ronin , but committed suicide before the vendetta took place. [REDACTED] Media related to Sengakuji at Wikimedia Commons Buddhist temples in Japan The Japanese word for

10165-592: Was also a Buddhist temple, one of the oldest of the city. The temple and the city were built with Feng Shui in mind. The present location was carefully chosen as the most propitious after consulting a diviner because it had a mountain to the north (the Hokuzan ( 北山 ) ), a river to the east (the Namerikawa ) and a great road to the west (the Kotō Kaidō ( 古東街道 ) ), and was open to the south (on Sagami Bay ). Each direction

10272-402: Was applied not only to villas but also to ryōtei (Japanese-style restaurants) and chashitsu , and later it was also applied to residences. In the very late part of the period sankin-kōtai , the law requiring the daimyōs to maintain dwellings in the capital was repealed which resulted in a decrease in population in Edo and a commensurate reduction in income for the shogunate. Towards

10379-686: Was combined with Daibutsuyō and the Zenshūyō to create the Shin-Wayō and the Setchūyō styles, and the number of temples in the pure Wayō style decreased after the 14th century. The Kamakura period began with the transfer of power in Japan from the imperial court to the Kamakura shogunate . During the Genpei War (1180–1185), many traditional buildings in Nara and Kyoto were damaged. For example, Kōfuku-ji and Tōdai-ji were burned down by Taira no Shigehira of

10486-413: Was established. The priest Kūkai (best known by the posthumous title Kōbō Daishi, 774–835) journeyed to China to study Shingon , a form of Vajrayana Buddhism, which he introduced into Japan in 806. At the core of Shingon worship are the various mandalas , diagrams of the spiritual universe that influenced temple design. The temples erected for this new sect were built in the mountains, far away from

10593-512: Was founded in 708 as the first permanent capital of the state of Japan. The layout of its checkerboard streets and buildings were modeled after the Chinese capital of Chang'an . The city soon became an important centre of Buddhist worship in Japan. The most grandiose of these temples was Tōdai-ji , built to rival temples of the Chinese Tang and Sui dynasties. Appropriately, the 16.2-m (53-ft) Buddha or Daibutsu (completed in 752) enshrined in

10700-502: Was initially influenced by colonial architecture in Chinese treaty ports such as Hong Kong. In Nagasaki , the British trader Thomas Glover built his own house in just such a style using the skill of local carpenters. His influence helped the career of architect Thomas Waters  [ ja ] who designed the Osaka Mint in 1868, a long, low building in brick and stone with a central pedimented portico . In Tōkyō, Waters designed

10807-448: Was made by pasting paper permeable to sunlight on a wooden frame, was installed inside the wooden shutters. In the room, tokonoma (alcove for the display of art objects) and chigaidana (shelves built into the wall) were set up to decorate various things. In an attempt to rein in the excess of the upper classes, the Zen masters introduced the tea ceremony . In architecture this promoted

10914-615: Was marked by the rule of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi , men who built castles as symbols of their power; Nobunaga in Azuchi , the seat of his government, and Hideyoshi in Momoyama . The Ōnin War during the Muromachi period had led to rise of castle architecture in Japan. By the time of the Azuchi-Momoyama period each domain was allowed to have one castle of its own. Typically it consisted of

11021-642: Was protected by a god: Genbu guarded the north, Seiryū the east, Byakko the west and Suzaku the south. The willows near the ponds and the catalpas next to the Museum of Modern Art represent respectively Seiryū and Byakko. Geomancy lost in importance during the Heian period as temple layout was adapted to the natural environment, disregarding feng shui. In addition to geomantic considerations, Buddhist temples, like any other religious structures, need to be organized in order to best serve their various purposes. The most important space in any Buddhist temple complex

11128-493: Was the Kami and Buddhas Separation Act of 1868, which formally separated Buddhism from Shinto and Buddhist temples from Shinto shrines , breaking an association between the two which had lasted well over a thousand years. Secondly, it was then that Japan underwent a period of intense Westernization in order to compete with other developed countries. Initially, architects and styles from abroad were imported to Japan, but gradually

11235-460: Was the first full-scale temple. It was the most significant temple in the Asuka period. The founder of Asukadera was Soga no Umako and he had built a smaller scaled residence similar to the great hall. Many royal palaces were built in this natural environment for centuries later. When visited today it barely holds its grandeur it once had as there are no clear marks of where the original halls were and now

11342-652: Was to become a controversial symbol of Westernisation in the Meiji period . Commissioned for the housing of foreign guests by the Foreign Minister Inoue Kaoru , it was designed by Josiah Conder  [ ja ] , a prominent foreign government advisors in Meiji Japan ( o-yatoi gaikokujin ). The Ryōunkaku was Japan's first western-style skyscraper, constructed in 1890 in Asakusa . However traditional architecture

11449-676: Was transformed into a religious building. The prehistoric period includes the Jōmon , Yayoi and Kofun periods stretching from approximately 5000 BCE to the beginning of the eighth century CE. During the three phases of the Jōmon period the population was primarily hunter-gatherer with some primitive agriculture skills and their behaviour was predominantly determined by changes in climatic conditions and other natural stimulants. Early dwellings were pit houses consisting of shallow pits with tamped earth floors and grass roofs designed to collect rainwater with

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