Wooden 100,000-Section Pagoda (with Remaining Lotus Seat)

Wooden Jūmanzettō (Hundred-Thousand-Joint Pagoda) at Hōryū-ji: The Sole Surviving Crown of an Ancient Imperial Vow

Within the treasures of Hōryū-ji in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, stands a small thirteen-storied wooden pagoda that few visitors realize is one of the rarest objects in Japanese cultural history. The Wooden Jūmanzettō (木造十万節塔), accompanied by a fragmentary lotus pedestal, is the only known surviving example of its kind in the world. Originally one of just ten such pagodas crafted in the eighth century as the crowning monuments of an extraordinary state-sponsored Buddhist project, this single relic carries the weight of an entire imperial vow that mobilised hundreds of artisans for nearly six years. Designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, it offers a tangible link to the political turbulence, religious devotion, and astonishing craftsmanship of the late Nara period.

Historical Background: An Empress's Vow After Civil War

The story behind the Jūmanzettō begins in the autumn of 764 CE, when the powerful courtier Fujiwara no Nakamaro (also known as Emi no Oshikatsu) raised a rebellion against the imperial court. The uprising was suppressed within a week, but the violence left deep wounds. Empress Shōtoku, who reascended the throne shortly afterwards, sought to memorialise the war dead and to invoke divine protection so that such an upheaval would never recur.

Drawing inspiration from the Mukujōkō Daidaranikyō, a sutra teaching that the construction of stupas combined with the recitation or enshrinement of dharani prayers brings spiritual merit and national protection, the empress issued an ambitious decree: one million miniature wooden pagodas were to be made, each containing a printed dharani scroll, and distributed to ten major temples. The temples chosen were Daian-ji, Gangō-ji, Kōfuku-ji, Yakushi-ji, Tōdai-ji, Saidai-ji, Hōryū-ji, Gufuku-ji (Kawara-dera), Shitennō-ji, and Sūfuku-ji.

According to the official chronicle Shoku Nihongi, the project was completed and the pagodas were enshrined in the spring of 770 CE. The undertaking required roughly five years and eight months and involved one hundred and fifty-seven recorded craftsmen, an astonishing logistical achievement for the era.

The Hierarchy of Pagodas: Three Sizes for One Imperial Project

The million-pagoda project was not a single uniform undertaking. To honour the scale of the vow, three different categories of pagoda were produced, each marking a numerical milestone within the project.

Why It Was Designated an Important Cultural Property

The Wooden Jūmanzettō at Hōryū-ji holds extraordinary cultural value on multiple levels. As the unique surviving example of the largest pagoda type in the imperial project, it preserves information about eighth-century woodturning technology, lacquering techniques, and the organisation of state-sponsored craftsmanship that no other artefact can offer. Its companion pieces — the one hundred Hyakumantō, the single Manzettō, the assembled small pagodas, the fragmentary roof pieces, and the one hundred dharani scrolls — are all designated together, forming one of the most historically significant ensembles in Japanese Buddhist art.

Beyond the object itself, the Jūmanzettō embodies the intersection of imperial authority and Buddhist faith in the late Nara period. The dharani prints associated with the larger project are recognised internationally as among the earliest verifiable woodblock or copperplate prints in human history, predating the famous Diamond Sutra of Dunhuang by nearly a century.

Highlights and Points of Interest

Visiting Hōryū-ji and Where to See the Treasures

Hōryū-ji, founded in 607 CE by Prince Shōtoku, is widely recognised as home to the oldest surviving wooden architecture in the world. The Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. The temple's vast treasure collection includes the Hyakumantō ensemble, traditionally housed in the Daihōzō-in (Great Treasure Hall), the modern museum gallery within the precinct.

Visitors should note that not every item in the temple's collection is on permanent public display. Selected examples of the standard Hyakumantō are typically visible in the Daihōzō-in, while the rarer Manzettō and Jūmanzettō, together with associated dharani scrolls, may appear in special exhibitions held in spring and autumn at the Daihōzō-den, the older treasure museum on the precinct. Checking the temple's official announcements before visiting is recommended.