National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties · Nara

Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct Earthen Walls

Horyuji Eastern Precinct Earthen Walls: The 1696 Precinct Boundary

The Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct Earthen Walls, built in 1696, are three tile-capped wall sections, about 211 m in all, linking older gates around the precinct.

Designation National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties

Location Nara

Genroku-era walls around the Eastern Precinct

The Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct Earthen Walls (法隆寺東院大垣, Hōryū-ji Tōin Ōgaki) in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, are mid-Edo earthen walls built in 1696 around the Eastern Precinct and designated an Important Cultural Property on June 9, 1943. The south, east and west sections count as one designation of three structures.

All are tile-capped. The south wall runs 26.4 meters east and 29.4 meters west of the South Gate; the east wall is 65.8 meters with two small doorways; the west wall runs 43.8 meters south and 45.8 meters north of the Four-Legged Gate. In total they come to about 211 meters.

Why a wall is a cultural property

An earthen wall of this kind is rammed earth topped with a small tiled roof, a high-status boundary used for temples and palaces. The Horyuji Eastern Precinct walls draw the outline of the precinct itself.

Several of its gates are older than the walls: the South Gate of 1459 and the early Kamakura Four-Legged Gate. The Genroku walls link them, so gate and wall together mark the precinct's edge. The date of 1696 is almost the same as the main walls of the Western Precinct, centered on 1697, which suggests the temple's whole perimeter was put in order during the Genroku era.

What to look for

The two small doorways in the east wall are openings cut through the wall itself, apparently for daily comings and goings separate from the main gates.

Up close you can see the texture of the earthen face and the layered tiles on top. When low evening sun rakes along the wall, every unevenness stands out.

Visiting

The walls can be seen freely from outside the precinct. The south side by the South Gate and the west side by the Four-Legged Gate look quite different, so walk around the precinct.

Name	Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct Earthen Walls (Hōryū-ji Tōin Ōgaki)
Location	Horyuji Sannai, Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture
Designation	Important Cultural Property
Year Designated	1943/6/9 (Showa 18)
Quantity	3 structures (south, east and west)
Dimensions	South: 26.4 meters east and 29.4 meters west of the South Gate; east: 65.8 meters with 2 small doorways; west: 43.8 meters south and 45.8 meters north of the Four-Legged Gate. Earthen walls, tile coping
Owner	Horyuji Temple
Public Access	Exterior only (viewable from outside)

Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct Earthen Walls

Genroku-era walls around the Eastern Precinct

Why a wall is a cultural property

What to look for

Visiting

Q&A

Basic Information

References

Cultural Treasures in the Same Area

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