Chuguji Temple

JAPAN, Nara, Ikoma

Also known as Chuguniji Temple or Ikaruganiji Temple, it is the oldest nunnery in Japan and is located next to Horyuji Temple. Prince Shotoku originally built it as a residence for his mother, and after her death it was converted to a temple. The temple was moved to its current location between 1532 and 1555, during the Muromachi period. It became an imperial temple whose abbesses were princesses of the imperial household.
The original site of the temple was about 400 m east of its current location. A charcoal burner for heating the water during tea ceremonies still remains at the original site. Excavations show temple structures aligned along the central axis in the north-south direction. The principal buildings were the middle gate, five-story pagoda, Golden Hall and lecture hall. The buildings were surrounded by corridors. Korean style clay artifacts from the Goguryeo (37 BCE–668 CE) and Baekje (18 BCE–663 CE) dynasties were found at the original site.
The existing temple structures include the main hall, an imperial residence, and a kitchen. The construction of the present-day main hall was completed in 1968. It was built on a steel framework and is surrounded by a veranda. On each side of the building there are four columns supporting the eaves. The main hall houses a camphor wood statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva in contemplation, a work of art of the late 7th century. The hall also contains the restored embroidered mandala, which is the oldest of its kind in Japan.