Cultural Assets－Temples and Shrines

Taima-dera Temple is believed to have been built in 681 when Taima no Kunimi relocated Manpozo-in Temple, which had been built by his grandfather, to the eastern base of Mount Nijo. To facilitate the project, En no Gyoja donated private land that he had used for ascetic training and harnessed the power of Buddhist belief to summon the Four Heavenly Kings from Baekje (a Korean kingdom), the deity Hitokotonushi from Mount Katsuragi, and a dragon god from Kumano. A stone on which En no Gyoja sat when worshiping testify to the legend. The temple’s precincts are home to 13 subsidiary temples along with the main hall, East Pagoda, and West Pagoda, which have been designated National Treasures, as well as numerous invaluable treasures, including a seated statue of the Buddhist deity Miroku Bosatsu in the Kondo hall.