Nara · Town
Ikaruga
斑鳩町いかるがちょうIkaruga-chōHome of the world's oldest wooden buildings
Ikaruga is a small town in the western Nara Basin that grew around Hōryū-ji, the temple founded by Prince Shōtoku whose Golden Hall and five-storey pagoda are the oldest surviving wooden buildings in the world.
Overview
Ikaruga lies on the plain north of the Yamato River, about 12 kilometres south-west of Nara city. In 601 Prince Shōtoku built his Ikaruga Palace here, and beside it the temple that became Hōryū-ji. Although the original temple burnt in 670, the rebuilt Golden Hall, five-storey pagoda, middle gate and cloister, dating from the late 7th and early 8th century, are the oldest wooden structures in existence. Together with Hokki-ji, whose three-storey pagoda is the oldest of its kind, they form the Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area, inscribed in 1993 among Japan's first four World Heritage sites.
The town's name is also the name of a bird, the Japanese grosbeak, said to have flocked here. Today Ikaruga is a quiet residential town surrounded by rice fields, persimmon orchards and burial mounds, with pagodas visible across the fields – a landscape celebrated in poetry since Masaoka Shiki's haiku about eating a persimmon as the bell of Hōryū-ji rang.
Landmarks
- 法隆寺Hōryū-ji
Western precinct with the Golden Hall, the five-storey pagoda and the Kudara Kannon in the Gallery of Temple Treasures; eastern precinct with the Yumedono.
Chūgū-ji
中宮寺Chūgū-jiNunnery next to Hōryū-ji's eastern precinct, home to the serene seated Bodhisattva in pensive pose.
- 法起寺Hokki-ji
Temple on the site of a residence of Prince Shōtoku's son, with Japan's oldest three-storey pagoda.
Hōrin-ji
法輪寺Hōrin-jiTemple with 7th-century Buddhist statues and a rebuilt three-storey pagoda, among the persimmon fields north of Hōryū-ji.
Fujinoki Kofun
藤ノ木古墳Fujinoki Kofun6th-century round tomb near Hōryū-ji whose unlooted stone coffin held gilt-bronze horse trappings and a crown.
Ikaruga Cultural Property Center
斑鳩文化財センターIkaruga Bunkazai SentāExhibition of finds from the Fujinoki Kofun and local sites.
Districts
Hōryū-ji area
法隆寺門前Hōryū-ji monzenThe approach to the temple's Nandaimon gate, lined with pine trees, shops and inns.
Nishisato
西里NishisatoOld quarter west of Hōryū-ji, once home to the temple's carpenters.
Okamoto and Mii
岡本・三井Okamoto, MiiVillages in the north with Hokki-ji and Hōrin-ji amid fields.
History
Prince Shōtoku (574–622) moved to Ikaruga in 601–605 and built his palace and the temple Ikaruga-dera (Hōryū-ji). After his death, his family was destroyed by the Soga in 643. The temple was rebuilt after a fire in 670, and in 739 the monk Gyōshin built the octagonal Yumedono on the site of the prince's palace, forming the Tōin (eastern precinct). Hōryū-ji remained a centre of scholarship and of the cult of Prince Shōtoku through the centuries. A fire in 1949 damaged the Golden Hall's 7th-century murals, prompting Japan's Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties (1950).
601
Prince Shōtoku begins building the Ikaruga Palace.
607
Hōryū-ji is founded, according to temple tradition.
670
The Nihon Shoki records that the temple burns down.
c. 700
The present Golden Hall and pagoda are completed.
706
The three-storey pagoda of Hokki-ji is completed.
739
The Yumedono is built in the eastern precinct.
1949
A fire damages the Golden Hall murals.
1988
The unlooted sarcophagus of the Fujinoki Kofun is opened, revealing rich grave goods.
1993
The Hōryū-ji area becomes one of Japan's first World Heritage sites.
Culture
Ikaruga's identity is bound to Prince Shōtoku, venerated as the founder of Japanese Buddhism and of the state. Hōryū-ji's master carpenters (miya-daiku) maintained its buildings over centuries; the last famous master, Nishioka Tsunekazu, rebuilt Yakushi-ji's Golden Hall and West Pagoda in the 20th century. Masaoka Shiki's haiku "kaki kueba / kane ga naru nari / Hōryū-ji" – "I bite a persimmon, and the bell rings out at Hōryū-ji" – is one of the best known in Japanese.
Festivals
Shōryō-e
お会式（聖霊会）Oeshiki (Shōryō-e)Memorial service for Prince Shōtoku held at Hōryū-ji every year from 22 to 24 March.
Yumedono hidden Buddha
夢殿秘仏公開Yumedono hibutsu kōkaiThe Guze Kannon, a hidden image, is shown in spring and autumn.
Tatsuta autumn leaves
竜田川の紅葉Tatsuta-gawa no kōyōAutumn foliage along the Tatsuta River, a classical poetic motif.
Food
Kakinoha-zushi
柿の葉寿司kakinoha-zushiPressed sushi in persimmon leaves, sold along the temple approach.
Persimmons
柿kakiAutumn fruit of the orchards around the temples, famous through Masaoka Shiki's haiku.
Tatsuta-age
竜田揚げtatsuta-ageSoy-marinated fried food named after the nearby Tatsuta River, known for its autumn maples.
Nyūmen
にゅうめんnyūmenMiwa sōmen served in hot broth, a winter staple in the Nara Basin.
Getting around
- JR Hōryū-ji Station on the Yamatoji Line is about 15 minutes from Nara and 30 minutes from Osaka-Tennōji; the temple is about 20 minutes on foot or a short bus ride.
- Buses run from JR Nara and Kintetsu-Nara stations directly to Hōryū-ji-mae.
- Hokki-ji and Hōrin-ji are a 20–30-minute walk through fields from Hōryū-ji; rental bicycles are available near the station.
Day trips
Tōdai-ji, Kasuga Taisha and the deer park, about 15 minutes by JR.
The Nishinokyō temples, on the bus route between Hōryū-ji and Nara.
Asuka
The earlier capital area of the 6th and 7th centuries, via Kashihara.
About 30–40 minutes by JR Yamatoji Line.
Other cities in the prefecture
Frequently asked questions
Are Hōryū-ji's buildings really the oldest wooden buildings in the world?
Yes. The Golden Hall and five-storey pagoda of the western precinct date from the late 7th century and are generally regarded as the oldest surviving wooden buildings anywhere; tree-ring dating of the pagoda's central pillar gives a felling date of 594.
How long does a visit to Hōryū-ji take?
About two to three hours for the western and eastern precincts and the Gallery of Temple Treasures; add an hour to walk to Chūgū-ji, Hōrin-ji and Hokki-ji.
Is Ikaruga easy to combine with Nara?
Yes. Buses and JR trains link the two in 15–30 minutes, and the Nishinokyō temples lie on the way.
What does Ikaruga mean?
Ikaruga is the name of the Japanese grosbeak, a bird said to have gathered in the area; the town has used the name since Prince Shōtoku's time.
Related
Sources
- 1.令和2年国勢調査 (opens in a new tab) — Statistics Bureau of Japan
- 2.Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- 3.斑鳩町ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 斑鳩町
- 4.法隆寺 (opens in a new tab) — 法隆寺