Founded in 593
According to the Nihon Shoki, construction of Shitennoji began in 593, during the reign of Empress Suiko. Along with Hokoji Temple, also known as Asuka-dera, founded by Soga no Umako, it is considered one of Japan’s oldest full-scale Buddhist temples.
The name Tennoji, used for the surrounding district and nearby station, is derived from an abbreviated form of Shitennoji. The temple has also been known by historical names including Arakadera, Naniwa Daiji, Mitodera, and Horiedera.
The Shitennoji-Style Temple Layout
Shitennoji is famous for its distinctive architectural arrangement, known as the Shitennoji-style temple layout. The central buildings are arranged in a straight line from south to north: the Central Gate, Five-Story Pagoda, Main Hall, and Lecture Hall.
This arrangement was also used at the Wakakusa Garan, the predecessor of the Western Precinct of Horyuji Temple, and is considered an important prototype of early Japanese Buddhist architecture.
The Temple Grounds
Central Temple Complex
The central temple complex is located slightly south of the center of the grounds and is enclosed by corridors. To the north stands the Rokujido Hall, also known as the Rokujoreisando, while the Shoryoin, dedicated to Prince Shotoku, stands to the east.
The western part of the grounds includes the campus of Shitennoji Junior and Senior High School. To the north are the temple’s main residential and administrative buildings, gardens, and cemetery.
Main Entrances
The principal entrances are the South Gate at the southern end of the grounds, the East Gate on the eastern side, and the Stone Torii Gate at the western entrance.
The Stone Torii is particularly notable because it has traditionally been regarded as the entrance to the Pure Land, attracting many worshippers and visitors.
Central Temple Complex
The central complex follows the traditional Shitennoji-style arrangement. The Central Gate, Five-Story Pagoda, Main Hall, and Lecture Hall stand in a straight north-south line, surrounded on both sides by corridors.
The present structures were reconstructed in reinforced concrete after World War II while preserving the architectural style of the original temple.
Main Hall
The Main Hall was reconstructed in 1961. It features an irimoya-zukuri hipped-and-gabled roof, and its exterior resembles the Main Hall of Horyuji Temple, although it differs in having no mokoshi, or pent roof.
Inside, the principal image, the Kuse Kannon Bodhisattva, is enshrined at the center. A reliquary pagoda stands to the left and a six-story pagoda to the right. Images of the Four Heavenly Kings surround the principal image, while the walls are decorated with murals depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha by artist Nakamura Gakuryo.
The Main Hall is also an important destination for Buddhist pilgrimage routes, including the first temple of the New Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and an auxiliary sacred site of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.
Principal Image – Kuse Kannon Bodhisattva
The Kuse Kannon Bodhisattva is a seated half-lotus statue created under the guidance of sculptor Hirakushi Denchu. The figure is depicted making the semui-in mudra with the right hand and has a compassionate expression.
The Four Heavenly Kings standing at the four corners of the Buddhist altar were created by sculptors Matsuhisa Horin and Horin.
Five-Story Pagoda
The present Five-Story Pagoda was reconstructed in 1959 and is the eighth pagoda built at the site. It is also known as the Pagoda of Salvation from the Six Realms.
The interior is decorated with Buddhist paintings by Yamashita Maki, and visitors can climb the stairs all the way to the fifth and top level.
Lecture Hall
The Lecture Hall, also known as the Kofodo, is a single-story building with an irimoya-zukuri roof. The interior is divided into a Summer Hall and a Winter Hall.
The Summer Hall enshrines a seated image of Amida Nyorai, while the Winter Hall enshrines a standing image of the Eleven-Headed Kannon. The walls feature murals titled “The Eastward Spread of Buddhism” by artist Gokura Chijin.
Other Highlights of Shitennoji
Rokujido Hall
The Rokujido Hall is designated as an Important Cultural Property. It was built in 1623 under the direction of Tokugawa Hidetada.
The hall houses a seated image of Yakushi Nyorai and statues of the Four Heavenly Kings. It is also the 16th temple on the Saigoku 49 Yakushi Pilgrimage.
Stone Stage
The Stone Stage is regarded as one of the Three Great Stone Stages of Japan. It stands in the center of the Turtle Pond in front of Rokujido Hall.
Every year on April 22, the Shoryoe Festival features traditional gagaku court music performances on this stage. The gagaku tradition of Shitennoji is said to preserve one of Japan’s oldest styles and continues through the Garyokai ensemble.
Central Gate
The Central Gate, also known as the Nio Gate, houses imposing statues of the Two Guardian Kings created by Matsuhisa Horin and Horin.
The statues are among the largest Nio figures in Japan, surpassed in scale only by the famous Nio statues at the Great South Gate of Todaiji Temple in Nara.
Kameido Hall
Kameido Hall was reconstructed in 1955 and is especially known for its Turtle-Shaped Stone.
The stone is believed to have been created in the seventh century and may have been used for rituals conducted under state supervision. In 2023, it was designated a Municipal Tangible Cultural Property of Osaka City.
The Main Residential and Administrative Complex
Temple Headquarters and Gardens
The Honbo has traditionally served as a place where Buddhist priests live and practice. It contains a variety of attractions, including traditional gardens and tea houses.
Gochikoin – Important Cultural Property
Gochikoin, also known as the Kanjodo Hall, was reconstructed in 1623 under Tokugawa Hidetada. The building has an irimoya-zukuri tiled roof and houses statues of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, with Dainichi Nyorai at the center.
Because memorial tablets of the Tokugawa shogun family are enshrined here, the building is also known as the Reishasha.
Honbo Gardens
The Honbo gardens include two traditional gardens: the Fudaraku Garden and the Pure Land Garden.
The Pure Land Garden is a traditional strolling garden centered around ponds. Its principal features include the Pure Land Pond and the Rurikō Pond.
Tea Houses
The temple grounds include several traditional tea houses, including Fujintei, Washoan, Rinchitei, and Seiryutei.
Washoan was donated by industrialist Matsushita Konosuke.
Seiryutei is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
Hakkakutei
Hakkakutei is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property built in 1903. The structure was originally constructed for the Fifth National Industrial Exposition held in Japan and was later relocated to Shitennoji.
It is considered the only surviving building from that exposition.
Other Facilities
The temple grounds also include Arakasan Inari Daimyojin, Dakinitensha Shrine, and the Treasure House, which is designated as a Municipal Tangible Cultural Property of Osaka City.
The Former Main Gate of the Honbo is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, while the West Service Gate of the Honbo is designated as an Important Cultural Property.
Gansandaishi Hall
The Gansandaishi Hall is an Important Cultural Property built in 1618. It has a hipped roof and stands in the cemetery area in the northwestern part of the temple grounds.
The hall is dedicated to Gansan Daishi Ryogen, an influential Buddhist monk of the Heian period.
Jizo Hall
Jizo Hall enshrines statues of Jizo Bodhisattva collected from various parts of the temple grounds and surrounding area.
Eireido Hall
Eireido Hall is designated as a Municipal Tangible Cultural Property of Osaka City. It was originally a bell tower housing the Bell Honoring Prince Shotoku before being converted into a Buddhist hall.
The ceiling features a dramatic Dragon and Clouds painting by Yukawa Shodo, donated by Morishita Hiroshi.
Stone Torii Gate
The Stone Torii Gate is an Important Cultural Property built in 1294. It preserves evidence of the historical tradition of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism.
The inscription on its plaque reads “Shaka Nyorai, place of turning the Dharma wheel; this is the eastern gate to the Pure Land.”
West Gate – Gokurakumon
The West Gate, also known as Gokurakumon, was reconstructed in 1962 with a donation from Matsushita Konosuke.
It is traditionally regarded as a gateway to the Pure Land and is associated with worshipping the setting sun in the west.
Detached Temple Grounds
Shitennoji Hospital
Shitennoji Hospital is located on a detached section of the temple grounds separated from the main precinct by National Route 25.
Koshindo Hall
Koshindo Hall is dedicated to the traditions of Koshin worship and enshrines Shomen Kongo Doji and the Four Heavenly Kings.
The original hall was reconstructed by Toyotomi Hideyori during the Keicho era but was destroyed during the air raids on Osaka. The present building was relocated from the site of the Japan World Exposition.
Shinkoin
Shinkoin is one of the temple’s branch temples and is known for its collection of approximately 60,000 stone Jizo statues.
The History of Shitennoji
The Founding According to the Nihon Shoki
Along with Hokoji, or Asuka-dera, Shitennoji is considered one of Japan’s oldest full-scale Buddhist temples. The Nihon Shoki provides an account of the circumstances surrounding its foundation.
In 587, during the second year of Emperor Yomei’s reign, a fierce conflict took place between the Buddhist-supporting Soga clan and the anti-Buddhist Mononobe clan.
According to the tradition, Prince Umayado, better known as Prince Shotoku, created statues of the Four Heavenly Kings and prayed for victory. The Soga clan subsequently prevailed, and construction of Shitennoji began in 593, during the first year of Empress Suiko’s reign.
Details of the Original Construction
Shitennoji was characterized from the beginning by its distinctive arrangement of the Central Gate, Five-Story Pagoda, Main Hall, and Lecture Hall in a straight line from south to north.
Tradition holds that land and enslaved people confiscated from the Mononobe clan were used in the construction of the temple’s foundations.
Archaeological discoveries of original roof tiles have also provided evidence that Shitennoji already existed during the reign of Empress Suiko. The fact that the roof tiles from Shitennoji and those from the Wakakusa Garan of Horyuji were made from the same molds indicates a close relationship between the construction of the two temples.
Theories About the Temple’s Original Location
One theory suggests that Shitennoji was originally located in Tamatsukuri, in the northern part of the Uemachi Plateau near present-day Morinomiya Station, rather than at its current location.
According to this theory, full-scale construction at the present site began in 593.
There are also theories that the temple was established partly to pacify the spirits of members of the Mononobe clan, including Mononobe no Moriya. Shitennoji has a small shrine dedicated to Moriya, and some scholars have suggested that this tradition may be reflected in the temple’s legends and architectural arrangement.
The Seven Shrines of Shitennoji
The Seven Shrines of Shitennoji are a group of seven Shinto shrines traditionally said to have been established by Prince Shotoku as protective shrines for Shitennoji.
They include:
Oe Shrine
Uenomiya Shrine
Ogi Shrine
Kubo Shrine
Doto Shrine
Kawahori Inao Shrine
Horikoshi Shrine
The settlements that developed around these shrines eventually grew into what became Tennoji Village in Higashinari District.
The Four Institutions of Shitennoji
Prince Shotoku is traditionally said to have established four institutions known as the Shikain at Shitennoji. These consisted of the Keiden-in, Seyaku-in, Ryobyo-in, and Hiden-in.
Keiden-in: The Buddhist temple itself.
Seyaku-in: An institution comparable to a medicinal herb garden and pharmacy.
Ryobyo-in: A facility similar in function to a modern hospital.
Hiden-in: A welfare facility providing assistance to elderly people without family support and people suffering from illness.
Records indicate that these institutions were functioning during the Kamakura period, making them an important early example of organized social welfare in Japan.
Shitennoji During the Heian Period
The original buildings of Shitennoji were repeatedly destroyed by natural disasters and fires, so the oldest surviving structures date from later periods.
In 836, lightning damaged the temple’s first Five-Story Pagoda. In 960, a major fire destroyed the entire temple complex.
A Center of Prince Shotoku Worship
Prince Shotoku became widely revered as a founding figure of Japanese Buddhism, and Shitennoji, closely associated with him, became an important center of Prince Shotoku worship.
The temple’s West Gate came to be regarded as an entrance to the Western Pure Land, making the temple an important sacred site for Pure Land Buddhism and attracting many worshippers.
The Shitennoji Engi, a historical and legendary account of the temple, played an important role in spreading devotion to Prince Shotoku. Tradition attributes the text to Prince Shotoku himself, although it is considered to have been copied during the middle of the Heian period.
Emperor Go-Daigo also copied the text and left his handprint at the end of the scroll. This surviving work is designated as a National Treasure of Japan.
Shitennoji from the Kamakura Period Onward
Disasters and Reconstruction
In 1361, an earthquake caused the Main Hall to collapse. The temple was subsequently rebuilt, but it was destroyed again by fire during the Onin War.
In 1576, Shitennoji became involved in the Ishiyama War. A fire that reached the Tennoji fort spread to the temple, destroying the entire complex.
Reconstruction Under the Toyotomi Family
Reconstruction began during the Toyotomi period. The Main Hall was rebuilt in 1584, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi supported further restoration work.
The Main Hall, Koshindo Hall, Five-Story Pagoda, and other structures were rebuilt. In 1601, Toyotomi Hideyori donated temple lands to Shitennoji.
Reconstruction During the Edo Period
The temple was once again destroyed during the Winter Campaign of the Siege of Osaka in 1614. Reconstruction was subsequently carried out under the direction of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
By 1623, reconstruction of the main temple complex had been completed. However, lightning caused another major fire in 1801, destroying the Five-Story Pagoda and Main Hall. These buildings were rebuilt again in 1813.
Shitennoji from the Meiji Period to the Modern Era
Effects of the Separation of Shinto and Buddhism
During the Meiji period, government policies separating Shinto and Buddhism led to the separation and independence of Ango Shrine, which had served as Shitennoji’s guardian shrine.
Land outside the main temple complex was nationalized, and some areas were converted into public parks. Despite these changes, the Shoryoin was rebuilt in 1879.
Damage During the Showa Period
The Muroto Typhoon of 1934 caused extensive damage to Shitennoji, including the collapse of the Five-Story Pagoda.
A seventh-generation Five-Story Pagoda was rebuilt in 1940, but it was destroyed again during the air raids on Osaka near the end of World War II.
Postwar Reconstruction
After the war, Shitennoji became independent from the Tendai school of Buddhism and established the Washu school, with Shitennoji as its head temple.
Reconstruction of the present central temple complex began in 1957 and was completed in 1963.
The current Five-Story Pagoda is the eighth generation. Although it is constructed from reinforced concrete, its design faithfully reproduces the architectural style associated with the Asuka period.
Shitennoji Today
In 2020, Shitennoji was temporarily closed until June 8 as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This was the first temporary closure of the temple since its foundation.
Today, Shitennoji once again welcomes many worshippers and visitors and remains an important destination for experiencing the religious history, architecture, art, and traditions of ancient Japan.
Cultural Properties
National Treasures
Illustrated Handscrolls of the Lotus Sutra on Fan-Shaped Paper
This Heian-period manuscript features richly colored illustrations painted on fan-shaped sheets of paper, together with Lotus Sutra texts decorated with gold and silver leaf.
It is an important work of both painting and calligraphy and provides valuable insight into the artistic culture of the Heian period.
Kakemamori
Kakemamori are decorative protective ornaments used by women during the Heian period. Seven examples are known to survive today.
They provide a glimpse into the refined craftsmanship and material culture of the period.
Shichiseiken and Heishi Shorinken
The Shichiseiken and Heishi Shorinken are regarded as outstanding examples of ancient Japanese swords. Both are deposited with the Tokyo National Museum.
The Shichiseiken is particularly notable for its mysterious beauty and decorations representing stars.
Gilt-Bronze Bone Ash Container of Waina no Omura
This gilt-bronze funerary container was discovered during the Meiwa era and was later presented to Shitennoji from Yamato Province. It is currently preserved at the Kyoto National Museum.
Important Cultural Properties
Architectural Heritage
The Shitennoji Torii Gate was built in 1294 and features a plaque bearing an inscription dated 1326. The stone fences on both sides are also considered historically significant.
Six buildings, including the West Service Gate of the Honbo, Hojo, Gochikoin, Rokujido Hall, Gansandaishi Hall, and Stone Stage, are designated as Important Cultural Properties.
Art and Craftworks
The Gilt-Bronze Seated Kannon Bodhisattva is an elegant Buddhist sculpture highly valued for its artistic quality.
Numerous other Buddhist statues and traditional dance masks, including masks representing Naso-ri and Ryo-o, are also designated as Important Cultural Properties.
These dance masks are especially significant because they preserve the tradition of Tennoji Bugaku, the temple’s ancient court-dance tradition.
Intangible Cultural Heritage
Bugaku of the Shoryoe Festival
The traditional bugaku court dances performed at Shitennoji continue the tradition of the Tennoji Gagaku organization and preserve one of Japan’s oldest styles of court music and dance.
This tradition is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Historic Site and Gardens
Former Shitennoji Temple Grounds
The former temple grounds were designated as a National Historic Site in 1951, recognizing their importance in understanding the historical development of the temple. Additional areas were designated in 1956.
Hakkakutei and the Gardens
Hakkakutei, located within the Honbo gardens, was built in 1903 as a reception building for the National Industrial Exposition.
The building retains its historic design and is now designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
Local Cultural Properties
Cultural Properties Designated by Osaka Prefecture
Shitennoji is home to numerous cultural properties designated by Osaka Prefecture, including a standing stone statue of Jizo Bodhisattva and an embroidered image of Shomen Kongo.
These works contribute to the temple’s outstanding religious and cultural heritage.
Cultural Properties Designated by Osaka City
Osaka City has designated numerous tangible cultural properties at Shitennoji, including the Nakanomon Gate, Treasure House, and Turtle-Shaped Stone Basin.
Traditional practices such as Koshin pilgrimages and the Chonna Hajime ceremony are also protected as intangible cultural heritage.