Tanzan Shrine

Overview

Tanzan Shrine sits in the Tōnomine district of Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, and is widely celebrated as a place of cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. Before the separation of Shinto and Buddhism, it was the influential syncretic temple Tōnomine Myōraku-ji, and the cluster of shrine buildings that lines the mountain slope still conveys that layered history. Painted with spring blossoms and autumn brocade, the grounds change with every season, making the shrine one of the signature sights of the Yamato region for travelers who wish to savor both history and nature.

Highlights

• ●The mountain-slope shrine scenery famed for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves
• ●The Kasuga-zukuri main hall designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan
• ●Grounds that convey the syncretic history dating from Tōnomine Myōraku-ji
• ●Its role as a sacred site of the Shinbutsu Reijō and Yamato Seven Lucky pilgrimages

History

Tanzan Shrine is said to have been founded in the year 678. Before the separation of Shinto and Buddhism it was the influential syncretic temple Tōnomine Myōraku-ji; its main hall and surrounding corridors were called Shōryō-in and Gokoku-in in different eras, and were also known as Taishokkan-sha, Danzan-sha, and Tōnomine Honsha. The main hall is built in the Kasuga-zukuri style and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The shrine is also counted among the sites of the Shinbutsu Reijō pilgrimage route and the Tour of the Seven Lucky Fortunes and Eight Treasures of Yamato, a place where the religious history of Tōnomine gathers in many layers. Please confirm the fuller history through official information.

Map

34.4658, 135.8616 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head from central Sakurai up into the Tōnomine mountains toward the grounds
2. 2Take your time viewing the Important Cultural Property main hall and corridors in Kasuga style
3. 3Enjoy the scenery coloring the mountain slope in the cherry or autumn-leaf season
4. 4Close your visit with a prayer as one shrine on the Shinbutsu Reijō pilgrimage route

Did you know?

💡 The main hall is built in the Kasuga-zukuri style and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Once the syncretic temple Tōnomine Myōraku-ji, it was known by many names across the ages, including Shōryō-in, Gokoku-in, Taishokkan-sha, Danzan-sha, and Tōnomine Honsha. Known also as a sacred site of the Shinbutsu Reijō pilgrimage route and the Tour of the Seven Lucky Fortunes and Eight Treasures of Yamato, it draws many who visit as one stop on a pilgrimage.

Nearby spots