Few periods in Japanese history are more fascinating than the seventh century. This was the period when Buddhism experienced its initial flowering in the country and the time when Asukadera, Kudara Odera, Kawaradera, and Yakushiji (the “Four Great Temples” as they were called in ancient texts) were built. These structures have received only limited attention in Western literature, primarily because they are now ruins. This book seeks to restore the four great temples to their proper place in the history of Japanese Buddhism and Buddhist architecture. Three of the temples have been studied arch ... More

Few periods in Japanese history are more fascinating than the seventh century. This was the period when Buddhism experienced its initial flowering in the country and the time when Asukadera, Kudara Odera, Kawaradera, and Yakushiji (the “Four Great Temples” as they were called in ancient texts) were built. These structures have received only limited attention in Western literature, primarily because they are now ruins. This book seeks to restore the four great temples to their proper place in the history of Japanese Buddhism and Buddhist architecture. Three of the temples have been studied archaeologically, but one, Kudara Odera (the first royal temple in Japan) has until recently been known only through textual references. A series of digs carried out between 1997 and 2001 at Kibi Pond yielded what are thought to be the remains of Kudara Odera. A platform, the appropriate size for a large pagoda, has been uncovered at the site, indicating the reliability of the textual sources. These results have necessitated a rethinking of early Buddhist architecture in Japan. The book gives the first detailed account in the English language of these excavations. It considers historiographical issues, settings and layouts, foundations, tiles, relics, and icons and allows readers to follow their chronological evolution. The book looks at broader political and religious developments that serve as a context for the study. It further makes an effort to unify data on great royal temples in China, Korea, and other parts of Japan.