Okadera Temple

Okadera Temple

Okadera (岡寺) is a temple in Oka, Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture, whose precinct keeps two Important Cultural Properties: the Niomon Gate of 1612 and the shoin study hall of 1644 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

Okadera describes itself as the seventh temple of the Saigoku 33 Kannon pilgrimage and the first temple in Japan for warding off misfortune. By temple tradition it was founded about 1,300 years ago by the priest Gien at the wish of Emperor Tenji. The Agency calls it an ancient Shingon temple known as one of the 33 Kannon pilgrimage sites.

The Two Buildings

The Niomon Gate is a two-storey gate three bays wide with one passage, under a hip-and-gable roof of hongawara tiles (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It was designated an Important Cultural Property on June 22, 1955.

The shoin has a main room with alcove, shelves and writing desk and four rooms in an L-shape, with a kitchen-like space originally at the back, an unusual combination of reception rooms and kitchen, and is one of the few shoin with Momoyama roots (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It was designated on January 22, 1986. Each building is described on its own page.

Visiting

According to Okadera, the temple is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (to 4:30 p.m. from December to February, last entry 10 minutes before closing); entry is 500 yen for adults and 400 yen for high school and junior high school students. The inner sanctuary of the main hall is open to visitors from April to December. The address is 806 Oka, Asuka Village.