Cultural Assets

• Muroji Temple Five-storied Pagoda

  Category

  National Treasure (building structure)

  Era

  Early Heian period (800)

  Outline

  The roof of the pagoda has a special structure called Hiwadabuki which uses cypress bark. This 16.1-meter pagoda is the smallest five-story pagoda standing in the open air and is also the oldest building in the Muroji Temple complex.
  In September 1998, the pagoda was severely damaged by a fallen tree caused by the strong winds of Typhoon #7 that hit the Kinki region, however, it was restored very quickly in about two years.

• Muroji Temple Kondo Hall

  Category

  National Treasure (building structure)

  Era

  Early Heian period (800)

  Outline

  Kondo Hall, together with the five-story pagoda, is said to have been built during the period when Muroji Temple was founded. It is thought to have been constructed in the early Heian period. The front part has hte kake-zukuri (erecting structures leaning against mountains or cliffs) is a Raido Hall (a place for public worship) which was added in the Edo period (1603-1868). Before the Raido was added, The building is the yosemune-zukuri style whose roof was made with the technique called Kokera-buki (a method of construction in which layers of wood shingles are layered on top of each other).

• Muroji Temple Main Hall(Kanjodo)

  Category

  National Treasure (building structure)

  Era

  Early Kamakura period (1308)

  Outline

  It is a large hall built in the Irimoya-zukuri style (about 9-meter square). It consists of two different architectural styles: the Wayo style and the Daibutsu-yo style. The building was built in the early Kamakura period when techniques were at their height, therefore, techniques found here are skillfully incorporated in every detail.

• Wooden Standing Shaka Nyorai (Shakyamuni Nyorai Buddha)

  Category

  National Treasure (sculpture)

  Era

  Early Heian period

  Outline

  This 234.8 cm high statue is the principal image of Kondo Hall. It is known that the statue was originally created as Yakushi Nyorai (the Buddha of Healing). The flowing crests on the vermilion robe are unique pattern called the Renpashiki, characterized by two smaller waves between the larger waves. This style is also known as the Muroji-yo pattern.

• Wooden Standing Juichimen Kannon(Eleven-Headed Kannon <Ekadashamukha>)

  Category

  National Treasure (sculpture)

  Era

  Early Heian period

  Outline

  This 196.2cm high statue was made from a single Japanese torreya tree. This colored Buddhist statue is a remarkable example of skillful carving, even the incarnation of the Buddha above his head is clearly carved out. The beautiful base of the statue is called Eight-layered Lotus Flower Seat. Although one can see that some restoration works were added later, it is a good example of the carving style of the early Heian period.

• Wooden Seated Shaka Nyorai (Shakyamuni Nyorai Buddha)

  Category

  National Treasure (sculpture)

  Era

  Heian period

  Outline

  This 106.3cm high statue was made from a single Japanese torreya tree. The sturdy, stable body and the tight yet calm facial expression are beautiful. The Hompa pattern (fluttering wave pattern), reminiscent of a clear stream in a canyon, looks clear and precise. Alternating the large folds and small folds represents the fluttering of waves which is called Hompa pattern (fluttering wave pattern).

• Said to be the Taishakuten (Shakra) Mandala [Raigo Wall in the Kondo Hall], Colored Wood Board

  Category

  National Treasure (painting)

  Era

  Heian period

  Outline

  351 cm high x 192 cm width. This colorful painting was painted on a space between four pillars of the wooden wall behind the Shumidan (dais for Buddhist images) in the Kondo Hall, using five vertical cypress boards that are aligned together. It is thought to have been painted around the middle of the 9th century. It is a valuable relic as a rare wall painting artifact.

• Muroji Temple Miedo Hall

  Category

  Important Cultural Property (building structure)

  Era

  Kamakura period

  Outline

  Miedo Hall, also called Daishido Hall, is located in the inner sanctuary and enshrines a statue of Kobo Daishi Kukai. The double roof is thatched with wood boards and its stracture is called Hogyo style (tented roof). The metal decoration set at the top of the roof is an outstanding piece of craftsmanship. There are many Daishido halls throughout Japan, but this is one of the oldest.

• Muroji Temple Mirokudo Hall

  Category

  Important Cultural Property (building structure)

  Era

  Kamakura period

  Outline

  The hall is located on the left (west) side of the garden in front of Kondo Hall. It is believed to have been built in the early Kamakura period (1185-1333). Originally facing south, it was changed to face east in the Muromachi period (1333-1573), and was renovated in the early Edo period (1603-1868).

• Wooden Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu(Bodhisattva Kannon <Avalokiteshvara>)

  Category

  Important Cultural Property (sculpture)

  Era

  Heian period

  Outline

  This is the main image of Muroji Temple. The statue is made of one wood piece of kaya (Japanese torreya). The head is straight and upright, and the upper part of the body is wide and thick, which is typical of the massive statues carved from one piece of wood from the Heian period.

• Wooden Standing Miroku Bosatsu(Bodhisattva Miroku <Maitreya>)

  Category

  Important Cultural Property (sculpture)

  Era

  Heian period

  Outline

  This statue is the main image of Mirokudo Hall. The statue is 94.4 cm tall and made of one piece of kaya (Japanese torreya) wood. From the chest to the waist, the ornament of magnificent jewels and other woven ornaments are precisely carved. Generally, Buddhist statues carved from sandalwood or other aromatic wood are called “danzo”, however, since sandalwood is not available in Japan, fine-grained, high-quality wood is often used instead for this type of carving.

• Wooden Standing Yakushi Nyorai (Bodhisattva Yakushi) [Said to be made by Kukai]
  Wooden Standing Monju Bosatsu (Bodhisattva Monju) [Said to be made by Kukai]

  Category

  Important Cultural Property (sculpture)

  Era

  Heian period

  Outline

  Two Buddhist statues are placed on either side of the main image in Kondo Hall. Both statues are made of a single piece of wood from around the 10th century. Since their size and style are different, they are thought to have been moved from other temples respectively in the mid-Edo period.

• Wooden Standing Jizo Bosatsu (Bodhisattva Jizo <Ksitigarbha>)

  Category

  Important Cultural Property (sculpture)

  Era

  Early Heian period

  Outline

  A 160.0cm high Buddha statue. It is a colorful statue made of a single piece of cypress wood. The itakohai (the wooden board behind the statue which embodies and depicts light emitted from the Buddha) does not match the size of the statue, therefore, it is thought that this itakohai did not originally belong to this image. It is said that the Buddhist image that fits this itakohai is the Jizo Bosatsu enshrined at Ansanji Temple, located about 9 km away from Muroji Temple.

• Wooden Standing Twelve Guardians

  Category

  Important Cultural Property (sculpture)

  Era

  Kamakura period

  Outline

  A group of wooden, colored, statues of around 100 cm high. The Twelve Guardians are the retainers of Yakushi Nyorai which is the Buddha of medicine and healing. Each of these statues has one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac on their heads. The exaggerated and free expression is characteristic of the mid Kamakura period and is representative of this period. The Kondo Hall enshrines the guardians of Mouse, Ox, Horse, Monkey, Dog and Boar. In the Homotsuden Hall, the guardians of Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Sheep and Rooster are enshrined.