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Home - Travel - Sightseeing Guide - Kansai - Nara
Yakushiji Temple	# 7   of 16 most visited sights in Nara
access  -  admission  -  hotels  -  reports  -  ratings  -  tours  -  links

Yakushiji was constructed by Emperor Tenmu in the late 7th century for the recovery of the emperor's sick wife. One of Japan's oldest temples, Yakushiji has a strictly symmetric layout, with the main and lecture halls standing on a central axis, flanked by two pagodas. The main hall was rebuilt in the 1970s after being destroyed by fire, and houses a Yakushi trinity, a masterpiece of Japanese Buddhist art. The East Pagoda is the temple's only structure to have survived the many fires and dates from 730. It appears to have six stories, but is in fact three storied, like the West Pagoda. Construction Notice: The East Pagoda of Yakushiji is undergoing major renovation works over a time period of almost ten years (until 2019), during which the pagoda is covered up by scaffolding. The other buildings are unaffected and still make a worthwhile visit. Genjo-sanzoin's Octagonal Hall The Genjo-sanzoin Garan is a recently built complex located slightly north of the main complex area. Constructed in 1981, the complex is dedicated to the Chinese monk Genjo-sanzo, who lived in the 7th century and is famous for his extensive travels to India and Central Asia. Yakushiji is the head temple of the Hosso Sect of Japanese Buddhism, upon which Genjo-sanzo's teachings had a profound influence. The main building at Genjo-sanzoin Garan is a central octagonal hall, in which some of Genjo-sanzo's remains are enshrined. Behind the octagonal hall is a building displaying works of Hirayama Ikuo, one of Japan's most celebrated painters who passed away in 2009. The paintings depict scenes of Genjo-sanzo's journeys, which have inspired Hirayama's work. The complex is closed about half the time. Yakushiji and Wakakusayama in the distance Any Questions? Ask them in our question forum.

How to get there

By train The temple is located right beside Nishikyo Station, which can be reached from Kintetsu Nara Station by taking the Kintetsu Nara Line to Yamato-Saidaiji Station and transferring to the Kintetsu Kashihara Line. The entire trip takes about 25 minutes and costs 250 yen. By bus Buses number 70, 72 and 97 travel about three times an hour to the temple from JR Nara Station (15 minutes, 240 yen) and Kintetsu Nara Station (20 minutes, 240 yen). Buses 70 and 72 stop at Yakushiji bus stop when traveling to the temple, but stop at Yakushiji-higashiguchi bus stop when traveling in direction of central Nara. Bus 97 always stops at Yakushiji-higashiguchi bus stop. How to get to and around Nara

Hours and Fees

Hours: 8:00 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30) Closed: Main temple: No closing days Genjo-sanzoin Garan: Jan 6 to Feb 28, Jun 16 to Sept 15 and Nov 26 to Dec 31. Admission: 800 yen (500 yen when Genjo-sanzoin Garan is closed)

Hotels and Ryokan

Sponsor Hotels Hotel New Wakasa 5 min walk to Todaiji Temple and Great Buddha. Wireless Internet in lobby. Rooftop open-air Jacuzzi. Private onsen baths. Asukaso A fine ryokan with hot spring bath offering views of the famous five-story pagoda. Located in the heart of Nara town.

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News and Reports

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Travel Community

Ratings for Yakushiji Temple: japan-guide.com Rating:   outstanding   User Rating (by 194 users): 86/100   recommended Popularity of Yakushiji Temple: Users who have been to Nara: 2750 Users who have been to Yakushiji Temple: 450 7th of 16 most visited sights in Nara. 115th of 726 most visited sights nationwide. Have you been to Yakushiji Temple? No - I have not been there yetYes - no ratingYes - highly recommendedYes - recommendedYes - mildly interestingYes - nothing specialYes - not recommended User Feedback We strive to keep japan-guide.com up-to-date and accurate, and are always looking for ways to improve the user experience. If you have any updates, suggestions, corrections or opinions, please let us know:

Tours and Packages

Nara Tours Various tours and travel packages for Nara and surroundings.

Japanese Links

Yakushiji Temple Official website.