After leaving Osaka Castle we returned to take the subway by going back to Shiten-nojimaeyuhigaoka station and see important temple of Osaka which calls “Shitennoji Temple”.

After leaving the station we experience the well-being of the Osaka people in small alley that we passed by to the temple. Around there have new houses, old style house, and shops of various kinds. People around use bicycles, cars, or walk around even though they seem a bit busy but still has a good atmosphere. Before reach to the temple, you will a tomb and if you stop by to hover a bit and will see the atmosphere like lonely and more lonely.

Now we arrived at Shitennoji Temple. This temple has a history of thousands of years and regarded as the first Buddhist temple in Japan.

Start at the entrance to the temple that you can use two option 1) buy a ticket for 300 yen or 2) use Osaka Unlimited Day Pass. If you have Osaka Unlimited Day Pass, you can enter here for free entrance by present the pass to exchange the ticket.

According to history, it was believed that this place created by Prince Shotoku for Shitenno’s prayer when they have a victory in the war and is the beginning of Japanese Buddhism propagation. The temple style was influenced by ancient Chinese Buddhist temples such as placing on the central gate (Nakamon), five-story pagoda (Goju-to), gold tower (Kin-to) and church (Ko-do) lined in a straight line from south to north. Each building will be surrounded by a balcony which is considered to be one of the oldest architecture in Japan. In addition, when Prince Shotoku built a new temple. He decide to built a disease place in here about 4 places from the area north of the temple for consisting of a place to learn about Lord of Buddha by teachings the lesson of his story, The pharmacy for dispensing medicine to patients who are sick, the hospital for patient care and nursing home.

From today, temple buildings is not old then before because it was lost and destroyed so many times in the past. They restored this temple during in 1963 by trying to preserve with maintaining to the original form as much as possible. Within the temple that has a fairly large area to the main buildings. There are other important places such as the Taishiden building, which houses the statue of Prince Shotoku. Kamei Fudou-to Cathedral and Gokuraku Park which are beautiful to see during the sakura season.

On the date 14 January of every year, This temple will be special where there is the Doya-doya festival where all the men in small robes bring together to compete for the magical talisman. Also every day on April 22, as the day of Prince Shotoku’s birth. There will be a Shoryo-e dance which is a dance that has been registered as a Japanese heritage.

Shitennoji Temple History Story

Shitennoji Temple is Japan’s oldest official temple. It was founded in 593 by the prince Shotoku Taishi a major figure in Japanese history who played a leading role in introducing Buddhism to Japan. He named the temple after the shitenno: four heavenly kings of Buddhist tradition who guard the world from evil. The prince had prayed to these kings during a time of war, and when the war was over he had the temple built in order to give thanks. Though this temple complex has a long history, most of the buildings have been destroyed by fire and rebuilt several times, and several of the current buildings actually date from the 1960s and 1970s. source from osakastation.com

Shitennoji was built in the first year of Emperor Suiko (593). More than 1,400 years ago. According to Nippon Shoki, when the battle between Monobe Moriya and Soga Mako was fought, Prince Shotoku, who had joined Soga of the religious Buddhist sculpture, carved a statue of Shitenno himself in order to overcome the disadvantages of the situation. If he wins, he will build a temple to enshrine the four kings and save all the people of this world. ” The arrangement of the cathedral is said to be the “Shitennoji-style cathedral arrangement”, in which the middle gate, five-storied pagoda, Kondo, and auditorium are lined up from south to north, and the corridor surrounds it. is. Its headwaters are found in China and the Korean Peninsula, and are considered to be valuable architectural styles that convey the continental style of the 6th and 7th centuries today.

After the Meiji era, the Shinto-Buddhist Ordinance of the Meiji Restoration first separated the Shinto shrine that used to belong to Shitennoji, and was placed in a severe situation. Following the deep religion of the Prince’s Temple, various events were held as before. On September 21, 1934, the five-storied pagoda collapsed due to the Muroto typhoon that hit the Kinki area, the Kondo was sloping, and the Niomon (Central Gate) was destroyed. In 1940, the five-storied pagoda was rebuilt shortly after the effort, but due to the raid on Osaka in 1945, the northern part of the cathedral, such as Rokujido, Gochikoin, and Honbo Hojo. Almost all of the precincts has been turned into ashes, leaving some of the buildings.

At this time, however, efforts were made to rebuild the city with the cooperation of people from various fields. Other buildings have been revived one after another and are now almost restored to the old style. Soon after the war, he became independent from Tendai Sect because he was a temple built by Taishi, and founded Wa Sect. Shitennoji was rebuilt as a temple whose main application was the rise of Buddhist law and the rise of the spirit of Prince. Shikain also operates Shitennoji Gakuen, an educational institution, conducts Buddhism education from an international perspective, and conducts the Nita, Medicinal Medicine, and Medical Treatment businesses centered on the social welfare corporation Shitennoji Welfare Corporation is inherited and developed.

At that time, many fires and disasters hit and many were destroyed, but the current building faithfully reproduces the style at the time of its foundation (Asuka era), and it is valuable that the ancient architectural style remains today. I can say. The total area is 33,000 tsubo (about 110,000 m2). Within the precincts, which is three times the size of the Koshien Stadium, there is the Shitennoji-style cathedral, as well as the Holy Spirit Temple (Taishi-den), which worships the spirit of Prince Shotoku. There is also a treasure house that holds. Standing in the garden of the paradise of the Japanese garden, a world unspoiled by the hustle and bustle spreads out in the city. It is also the most famous place for the 33rd Kannon Sacred Ground in Shinsei Nation. An important intangible folk cultural property, Tennoji Dance is performed at the Holy Spirit Society’s Dance Festival held on April 22 every year to honor the Prince. Every year, the Daishikai on the 21st and the Taishikai on the 22nd are fairs of Shitennoji.

Doya Doya Festival
Shitennoji Temple is also the location for the Doya Doya festival which is held on January 14th every year. During this festival teams of young boys wearing only loincloths are showered with cold water as they run into the Rokujireisando prayer hall. Once inside they compete to catch lucky paper charms that are dropped from the ceiling. The team that gets the most charms is the winner.

Shotoku Taishi Story

The name Shotoku Taishi was called by posterity after the death of the Prince, with the meaning of “a virtuous holy man.” Also, because he is a prince who has achieved many achievements, it has been handed down to people as holy like a Buddha and a Bodhisattva, so many superhuman legends have been created, Some put it in the part of the miracle story and announce that Prince Shotoku is the existence itself is an imaginary person ” or call it Prince Shotoku ” incorrectly “ King of stables ” Some argue that it should be called. Each person has a different way of thinking, but when asked at Shitennoji, he answered, naturally, that “Prince Shotoku existed.”

Admission fee: Inner precinct: 300 yen, Gokuraku-jodo Garden: 300 yen, Treasure House: 500 yen
Opening hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (October – March: 8:30 am – 4:00 pm)
Closed day: Open every day

How to get there:

By train:

• an 11 minute walk north of Tennoji Station. or
• 5 minute walk from Shitennoji-mae-Yuhigaoka Station [Tanimachi Subway Line]. Exit 4. or
• walk 10 minutes from JR Tennoji Station [JR Loop Line]
• a 5-minute walk from Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station on the Osaka Municipal Subway Tanimachi Line.
• a 15-minute walk from Tennoji Station on the JR West Lines and the Osaka Municipal Subway Lines.
• a 15-minute walk from Osaka Abenobashi Station on the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line.