Kyoto City Museum Search

A treasure hall of famed treasures to view amidst famed vista of cherry-blossoms

Founded in 874, as headquarters of the Daigo School of The Shingon Sect of Buddhism, the temple is on the World Heritage List. In Japan, the temple is well known for its cherry blossoms; especially, the big blossom viewing party held by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Occupying some 6.6 million square meters, the grounds have many historical structures, such as a pagoda (951), the Kondo main hall and Yakushido hall. Moreover, the temple has a vast collection of Buddhist sculptures and paintings and other arts and crafts that include many National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties.
And, since 1914, the temple continues to research and organize this collection.
Thus, in the Reiho-kan, each spring and autumn, special exhibitions are held.
Amidst the treasures totaling some 100,000 pieces, there are the ancient “Daigo- ji Temple Documents”; the Sohan Issaikyo, or Sung Dynasty Edition of the Buddhist Canon, brought back to Japan some 800 years ago; the Yakushi Nyorai statue carved in the Heian period; the Godaison, or Five Great Wisdom Kings, carved in the Kamakura period, and the Bugaku-zu Byobu (screens picturing dancers) by Sotatsu Tawaraya.