One long building, two halls
The Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct Shariden and Edono (法隆寺東院舎利殿及び絵殿, Hōryū-ji Tōin Shariden oyobi Edono) in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, is an early Kamakura-period building completed in 1219 and designated an Important Cultural Property on April 7, 1900. It runs east to west, north of the Yumedono.
Seven bays by three under a single gabled tile roof, it is one building with two functions: the Shariden, or Relic Hall, at the east end and the Edono, or Picture Hall, at the west.
From storehouse to shrine
According to the Japan Tourism Agency's commentary, it began as a storehouse for objects associated with Prince Shōtoku. In the Heian period it was remade, the west half becoming a hall lined with painted screens of the prince's life and the east half a hall for relics of the Buddha. The present building dates from 1219.
The relic kept in the Shariden is said to have appeared in the palms of the two-year-old prince as he joined his hands and chanted "Namu Butsu." Housing the most sacred object of the Shōtoku cult, the building shows more plainly than almost any other that the Eastern Precinct exists to honor him.
The screen paintings that once hung in the Edono, an illustrated biography of the prince attributed to Hata no Chitei, were presented to the imperial household in the Meiji era and are now in the Tokyo National Museum.
Two uses under one roof
From outside, the Horyuji Shariden and Edono reads as a single seven-bay building, but inside it divides in two, relic shrine to the east and picture hall to the west, each shaped for its purpose.
Its long, plain gabled roof gives the Eastern Precinct a calmer note beside the octagonal Yumedono and the bulk of the Denpodo. It belongs to the same early Kamakura building campaign as the nearby Raido, completed in 1231.
Visiting
The Shariden and Edono stands within the Eastern Precinct and is normally seen from outside. The relic is said to be shown during the Sharikō service held over the first three days of the New Year. The Edono paintings belong to the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures at the Tokyo National Museum; check the museum's schedule for display dates.
Hours, tickets and directions are on the Horyuji page.
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Q&A
- What is the Horyuji Eastern Precinct Shariden and Edono?
- An early Kamakura building with a relic hall at its east end and a picture hall for paintings of Prince Shōtoku's life at its west end.
- What is the legend of the Horyuji Shariden relic?
- It is said to have appeared in the hands of Prince Shōtoku at the age of two as he joined his palms and chanted "Namu Butsu."
- Can you see inside the Horyuji Shariden and Edono?
- Normally only the exterior. The relic is said to be shown during the Sharikō service in the first three days of the New Year.
- Where are the Horyuji Edono paintings now?
- They were presented to the imperial household in the Meiji era and are now in the Tokyo National Museum.
- When was the Horyuji Eastern Precinct Shariden and Edono built?
- In 1219. It was designated an Important Cultural Property on April 7, 1900.
Basic Information
| Name | Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct Shariden and Edono (Hōryū-ji Tōin Shariden oyobi Edono) |
|---|---|
| Location | Horyuji Sannai, Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | 1900/4/7 (Meiji 33) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 7 by 3 bays, single storey, gabled roof, tile roof |
| Owner | Horyuji Temple |
| Public Access | Exterior only (relic shown at the New Year Sharikō) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — Horyuji Eastern Precinct Shariden and Edono
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2698
- Cultural Heritage Online — Horyuji Eastern Precinct Shariden and Edono
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/db/heritages/detail/157235
- Japan Tourism Agency Multilingual Commentary Database — Shariden and Edono
- https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/R1-00207.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
