What is the Heisei Toshodaiji Temple Golden Hall Restoration Project?

Toshodaiji Temple was built in 759 A.D. by a famous priest from China named Ganjin. Ganjin had great difficulty in his efforts to get to Japan. It took him six attempts and 12 years to finally reach Japan. At that time, he possessed the knowledge from China which was the most developed country in terms of architecture, medicine, philosophy and arts and technology. He brought to Japan a world view that provided Japan with a purity of cultural integrity. This temple, where the external influences converged with the native Japanese influences, is often considered to be the origin of the uniqueness of Japanese culture. Among its buildings, the Golden Hall is known as an excellent example of Tempyo Period design which still exists in our present day. It was designated as a World Cultural Treasure in 1998. The Heisei Toshodaiji Temple Golden Hall Restoration Project is a major project that will span 10 years beginning in 2000. It is the first major restoration since the last restoration done 100 years or so ago during the Meiji Era. The Heisei Restoration began its work under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture. It entails the complete disassembling and restoration of the hall. 1200 years after the original construction of the temple, this project is committed to ensuring that future generations benefit from this world renowned cultural legacy of Japan.

PREV / TOP / NEXT