Yasaka Pagoda Explained

Yasaka Pagoda
Native Name:八坂の塔
Native Name Lang:ja
Map Type:Japan Kyoto Prefecture#Japan
Relief:1
Map Alt:The Yasaka Pagoda located in central Japan.
Coordinates:34.9986°N 135.7793°W
Religious Affiliation:Zen Buddhism
Sect:Kennin-ji Rinzai
Location:Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
Country:Japan
Established:7th century
Year Completed:1408 (Reconstruction)

The Yasaka Pagoda (Japanese: 八坂の塔|Yasaka-no-to), also known as the Tower of Yasaka, is a Buddhist pagoda located in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan.[1] The 5-story tall pagoda is the last remaining structure of a 6th-century temple complex known as Hōkan-ji (Japanese: 法観寺).[2] [3] The pagoda is now a tourist attraction.[4]

History

Archaeological evidence dates the foundation of the Yasaka Pagoda to the 7th Century. The founding date is disputed between the reign of Prince Shotoku and the sixth year of the Tenmu period (678 CE).[5] The pagoda and the associated temple were destroyed and reconstructed several times up to 1440, of which the current pagoda stands to this day.

Control of the pagoda was historically disputed between the nearby Shinto Gion Shrine and the Buddhist temple of Kiyomizu-dera, to the point the pagoda was burnt down in May of 1179.[5] It was later rebuilt in 1191 with funding from Kawachi Genji noble Minamoto no Yoritomo. In 1240, the head priest of the nearby Buddhist temple of Kennin-ji affiliated the pagoda with Zen Buddhism, which remains the official designation of the Yasaka Pagoda to the present day.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Oevermann . Heike . Securing Urban Heritage: Agents, Access, and Securitization . Gantner . Eszter . 2019-08-08 . Routledge . 978-0-429-62435-3 . en.
  2. Web site: Hokan-ji Temple. Kyoto City Official Travel Guide. en. 2020-05-25.
  3. Web site: Yasaka-no-to Pagoda. Inside Kyoto. en-US. 2020-05-25.
  4. News: Why your next vacation should be in Japan. Jenkins. Mark. Washington Post. en. 2020-05-25.
  5. Web site: Historic site Hokanji precincts . ja . Kyoto City Archaeological Research Institute . 2010-03-31 . 2021-11-06.