Gangoji Temple Gokurakubo

JAPAN, Nara

Gokurakubo means Ultimate Bliss. The Gangoji Temple was originally part of Asukadera Temple in Fujiwarakyo (present day Nara prefecture). The temple was moved to the present location with its current name in 718 and became one of the Seven Major Temples in the city. By the late Heian period (794–1185), this Gokurakubo was the only surviving building and became a temple of the Pure Land school. The temple was famous for its painting of the Pure Land Mandala by the monk Chiko. It became a standalone temple during the Kamakura period (1185–1333).
The main structures of the Gokurakubo include a model pagoda, main hall, and the meditation hall, which were listed as National Treasures in the 1950s. The main hall was reconstructed in 1244 and is commonly known as the Mandala Hall. This six-by-six bay hall has a single-eave hip roof covered with cylindrical tiles and has a portico at the front. Inside the main hall there is an altar where the painted panel of the Pure Land Mandala by Chikou is hung. The center of the hall is surrounded by two concentric sets of columns.
The meditation hall was also reconstructed in the Kamakura period and is used as the living and practice space for monastics. The four-by-four bay structure has a single-eave hip-and-gable roof covered with cylindrical tiles made during the Asuka (538–645) and Nara periods. The meditation hall was built in the Nara-period architectural style for monastic quarters and plays an important role in understanding that architectural style. The statues of Prince Shotoku, a seated Amitabha Buddha, and Master Kukai are kept within the temple.