Each country has its own traditions, culture and architecture. Temples of Japan are special buildings that tell about the life of ancient and modern people. Such buildings keep a centuries-old history.
Temple Features
The architecture of the spiritual centers of Asia shows the heirs what values used to be, how people interacted with each other, and what political views they had. Temples of Japan began to be built in the Middle Ages. It was this country that spread religion to the nearest Asian settlements. All temples of the countries differ from each other, even though they have common features. In particular - the arrangement of the cathedral, landscaping, structuring the space.
In the seventh century, almost all Asian artists took an example from China. The temples of Japan were built on the same principle. Architects took as a basis the already developed buildings. Gradually, temples in Japan improved and added local style to the buildings. Also, these places were characterized by rainy weather. Therefore, architects solved the problem of moisture resistance of temples.
Buddhist temples in Japan
The local population considers such structures a separate area in architecture. People believe that Buddhist temples are a combination of spiritual practices, philosophy, science and aesthetics. The building has a wide roof, there is a spire on it. In such temples there are always columns. People pay special attention to the materials used to sheathe buildings. Buddhist temples of Japan:
- Rean-ji. The temple is located in Kyoto, Japan. Its distinguishing feature is the 3 fires that he sustained, but the walls were subject to reconstruction. This temple is expensive for the indigenous population. Therefore, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Stones are located throughout the territory, among them there are no plants and grass. In addition, there is a reservoir through which several bridges pass. The temple attracts even those who are far from Buddhism. After all, the atmosphere of calm relieves stress and makes you think about life.
- Enryaku-ji. This is one of the oldest temples, it was built in the VIII century. Almost all of its history, a Buddhist school operated on its territory. However, people are not being trained there now. In the temple there are only 3 full-fledged buildings. They have large halls, audiences and places for meditation.
- Todai-ji. This is the largest temple that the Japanese managed to build from wood. Its main feature is its location in the center of the settlement. At the entrance to the temple are high gates. After them there is a ladder 25 meters long. On the way to the temple, people are presented with figures of saints made of wood.
These are the most popular and beautiful Buddhist temples of this wonderful country. However, to visit them is quite difficult. After all, there is a line of tourists who want to get into it. And this can be done not every day, because monks serve and meditate in temples. Therefore, you can visit them at the allotted time for this.
Itsukushima Church
This temple is located on a sacred island, where it is difficult to get an ordinary tourist. Around the territory is the Sea of Japan. There are no scheduled flights to the island. This is a Shinto shrine in Japan, which is one of the most popular cathedrals. This is the merit of the architects, because they made a gate at the entrance in the vicinity of the sea. Sometimes tides occur that completely flood them. The builders painted them in bright red paint and they are made of oak and maple.
On the territory of the temple there are many buildings and complexes of buildings. The lower part of which is painted white and the roof is red. Most buildings are intended for minions and priests.
The complex of buildings of Tosegu
It was built in honor of the prominent colonel Tokugawa Iyashi. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the temple has been protected by UNESCO. Its main feature is the crypt of Colonel Iyasyagi. Exactly 8 buildings on the territory belong to the national treasures of the country. Initially, the temple was built of wood. However, due to the rains it was made of stone. After 10 years, it was redone again. All buildings are made of bronze, which is moisture resistant and durable compared to similar materials. Tourists can easily get to all key places. Sometimes monks talk about their religion.
Kunaku-ji Church
This complex was built in 1397, for the relaxation of one of the country's politicians. The temple is located in Kyoto, Japan. His most important relic is a Buddhist statue of compassion called Avalokiteshvara. Also on the territory are bronze statues of the creators and owners of the temple. The floor in the building is covered in pure gold. The main pavilion houses relics of the Buddha. On the roof is a sculpture of the Chinese phoenix. Around the temple is a green area with trees and shrubs. There is also a large lake on the territory where spruces grow on small islands. Near the shore are statues of cranes and toads, they mean the longevity of the Japanese people.
Kofuku-ji Temple
Almost all religious sites in Japan are protected by UNESCO. Kofuku-ji was no exception. Indeed, on its territory are ancient relics. It was also founded in 700 AD. The temple is considered one of the oldest in Japan. In 2018, the Hosso School continues to operate on the territory. The temple was founded in Kyoto, but now it is located in the city of Nara. Its entire territory is flooded with concrete. Among the buildings there is a lake with clear water. Lotus flowers are located throughout the water. Many people are interested in the name of temples in Japan. Such a stir develops because of the colonels in whose honor they are named. However, the name Kofuku was invented by Indian philosophers.
Temples for Christians
Most of the churches in the country belong to the views of Buddhism and Shintoism. However, there are Orthodox churches in Japan. They are spread thanks to Hieromonk Nikolai, who, secretly from the government, baptized the Japanese who wanted to join the Orthodox faith. It happened only in the XIX century. In 2018, according to statistics, in Japan there are 250 full-fledged Christian churches.
One of the most popular cathedrals is Nicoraia-do. Its real name is the church of St. Nicholas. Its architecture is different from all similar buildings in the world. This is due to the peculiarity of the Orthodox faith in Japan. In the XIX century, the building survived an earthquake, which is why the temple was restored in a modern way. Nicoraia-Do Cathedral is the most important Orthodox church in the country. However, its architecture resembles Russian buildings. Inside the church, almost everything differs from what we are used to seeing in the Orthodox churches of the CIS countries. Starting from the smell of candles and ending with the style of icons. All services in it pass fully. All women put on scarves, men come in shirts. However, in this temple you can often meet tourists in jeans.
Resurrection temple
This temple was organized by the consulate of the Russian Federation in 1850. It is the first orthodox temple in Japan. It was built by Russian architect Igor Gorshkevich, he wanted to revive Christianity in this country. Therefore, the builders decided to dedicate the temple to Jesus Christ and his holy Resurrection.
The temple is located at the highest point of the city of Hakodate. Initially, the building was made of wood. He also had a basement and two floors. At the highest point of the church was a golden bell. However, the building has undergone many restorations due to impractical materials. Now it is made of concrete and painted white. A Sunday school operates on its territory, where visiting Russian and Orthodox Japanese study. Adults can attend services and Orthodox courses. The temple administration pays special attention to the vocal component - a professional choir functions there. Also, following fashion trends, priests conduct an Orthodox site in English. It even has a section "Temples of Japan, photos." However, there are only Christian churches.
Sapporo Temple
At the very beginning, this church was created as a house of prayer. It gathered the Orthodox community from Japan. Due to their popularity, people organized a separate building for Christian rites and ministries. It was funded by Russia, but in the 20th century a crisis began, because of which the temple worked through donations. As a result, the administration issued a newspaper, which covered important Christian holidays, prayers, stories, and so on.
When sporting events across the country began, the church was moved to another place. For this, a new building was built. It is made of concrete and painted white. The temple has 6 domes where the bell towers are located.