Muromachi

Matsuo-dera Temple in Yamatokoriyama, Nara Prefecture, is Japan's oldest yakuyoke (evil-warding) temple, founded in 718 by Imperial Prince Toneri. The Main Hall, rebuilt in 1337, is designated as an Important Cultural Property for its rare Shin-Wayō architecture blending traditional Japanese and Great Buddha styles. Discover this historic mountain temple with its secret Thousand-Armed Kannon, Kamakura-period Daikokuten statue, and stunning seasonal flower displays.

Discover the Three-Storied Pagoda of Minami Hokke-ji (Tsubosaka-dera), an Important Cultural Property rebuilt in 1497 during the Muromachi period. Standing on the sacred slopes of Takatori, this pagoda is a rare survivor of war and fire, showcasing pure Japanese architectural style.

The Raidō (Worship Hall) of Minamihokkeji Temple, commonly known as Tsubosakadera, is a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan located in Takatori, Nara Prefecture. Originally rebuilt during the mid-Muromachi period, this hip-and-gable roofed hall was restored to its medieval form during the Shōwa era. The temple, famous as the sixth stop on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, has been a center of healing faith for eye ailments for over 1,300 years.

Hidden at the innermost sanctuary of Murō-ji Temple in Nara's Uda mountains, the Mieidō is an Important Cultural Property from the early Muromachi period. Reached by nearly 700 stone steps, this three-bay-square pyramidal-roofed hall enshrines an image of Kōbō Daishi and is one of the oldest Daishidō halls in Japan, noted for its unique thick wooden board step-roof. A sacred highlight of the temple long known as "Women's Kōya."

Yakushi-ji's South Gate, built in 1512, began as the West Precinct gate, moved onto the stones of the lost Great South Gate, fronting the Hakuho precinct.

In the hills of eastern Nara, the small main hall of Yasaka Shrine wears a rare roof of thick boards laid in overlapping tiers, a late-Muromachi nagare-zukuri.

An Important Cultural Property on Mount Yoshino, Yoshimizu Shrine Shoin shows an early form of shoin-zukuri and is tied to Yoshitsune and Emperor Go-Daigo.

The Three-Story Pagoda at Ryōsenji Temple in western Nara is a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan, built around 1283–1284 during the Kamakura period in the pure Japanese (Wayō) architectural style. Standing 17 meters tall with elegant cypress-bark roofing, the pagoda is renowned for its remarkably well-preserved polychrome murals inside the first story—including paintings of the Five Great Wisdom Kings and a Nirvana scene—which are also designated as Important Cultural Properties. The interior is opened to the public just once a year, on November 3rd.

Discover the bell tower (Shōrō) of Ryōsenji Temple in Nara, an Important Cultural Property from the early Muromachi period, featuring elegant hakama-goshi architecture and a historically significant temple bell cast in 1644.

A National Treasure: a Southern Song edition of Ouyang Xiu's works, edited by Zhou Bida, once in the medieval Kanazawa Bunko library and nearly complete at Tenri.

Discover the Song Edition of Liu Mengde's Collected Works, a National Treasure held at Tenri University Library in Nara. Printed in 12th-century China, brought to Japan by Zen master Eisai, and once admired by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, this rare printed book offers a remarkable glimpse into the literary exchange between Tang China and medieval Japan.