Hokki-ji Temple

Overview

Hokki-ji, also read Hōki-ji (法起寺; the 'temple of the Arising Dharma'), is a Buddhist temple in the Okamoto neighbourhood of the town of Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture. Formerly known as Okamoto-dera and Ikejiri-dera, it belongs to the Shōtoku sect and enshrines an eleven-faced Avalokiteśvara as its principal image. It is registered as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area."

Highlights

• ●Its inscription as part of the World Heritage Site "Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area"
• ●The three-storied pagoda designated a National Treasure
• ●The eleven-faced Avalokiteśvara that serves as the principal object of worship
• ●The long history preserved in its former names Okamoto-dera and Ikejiri-dera

History

The temple is dated to 638 and is often counted among the seven great temples founded by Prince Shōtoku, though in fact it was not completed until some decades after his death. It is also a designated Historic Site of Japan, and in 1993 it was registered together with Hōryū-ji under the name Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Map

34.6228, 135.7461 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Enter the precincts and learn about the temple's history within the Shōtoku sect
2. 2View the three-storied pagoda designated a National Treasure
3. 3Visit the hall enshrining the eleven-faced Avalokiteśvara
4. 4Walk the grounds while reflecting on its former names Okamoto-dera and Ikejiri-dera

Did you know?

💡 Hokki-ji is sometimes counted among the seven great temples founded by Prince Shōtoku, yet it was actually completed only some decades after his death.

Nearby spots