Daian-ji Temple

Overview

Daian-ji is a temple of the Kōyasan Shingon school in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, with an Eleven-headed Kannon as its principal image. It was counted among the Seven Great Temples of Nara, and from the Nara period into the first half of the Heian period it ranked alongside great temples such as Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji. Today it is known as a temple for warding off illness.

Highlights

• ●Its principal image is an Eleven-headed Kannon
• ●Counted among the Seven Great Temples of Nara
• ●Once ranked alongside Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji
• ●Its former precincts are a designated Historic Site

History

Founded by Emperor Jomei in 639 as one of the first official temples in Japan, it was relocated to Heijō-kyō when the capital moved. From the Nara period into the early Heian period it stood among the great temples of Nara before later declining to a fraction of its former size. Its former precincts were designated a National Historic Site in 1929.

Map

34.6680, 135.8127 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1View the principal image, the Eleven-headed Kannon
2. 2Learn of its standing as one of the Seven Great Temples
3. 3Trace the former precincts designated a Historic Site
4. 4Stroll the surrounding streets and nearby facilities

Did you know?

💡 Daian-ji is counted among the Seven Great Temples of Nara.

Nearby spots