Shitennoji Temple

The oldest officially administered Buddhist temple in Japan, founded in 593 CE by the statesman Prince Shotoku following the introduction of Buddhism to the country. The temple sits in the Tennoji district south of central Osaka and has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times over fifteen centuries — the current structures are 1960s concrete reconstructions, but the layout replicates the original precisely.

The central complex includes a five-storey pagoda, the Golden Pavilion, and the large lecture hall, arranged in a straight north-south line — an archaic layout no longer found in Japan's more famous temples. The surrounding grounds are extensive and largely free to enter. A large flea market takes over the grounds on the 21st and 22nd of each month, selling antiques, vintage clothing, plants, and street food.

things to do sight temple
A story
Shitennoji is the oldest officially administered Buddhist temple in Japan, founded in 593 CE by Prince Shotoku — the statesman who first promoted Buddhism in the country — as a fulfilment of a battlefield vow. The complex burns down repeatedly over the centuries and has been rebuilt every time; the current structures are concrete restorations from 1963, but the layout follows the original 6th-century plan exactly.

Other places in Things to Do