Toshodai-ji
- Japanese: 唐招提寺 (Toushoudai-ji)
Tôshôdai-ji, located in Nara, is the head temple of the Ritsu sect of Buddhism, also known as Risshû. It was founded by the Chinese monk Ganjin (C: Jianzhen) in the 8th century, and stands as a precious example of Nara period architecture.
A statue of Ganjin held by the temple, a precious example of Japanese dry lacquer sculpture, has been designated a National Treasure. The temple as a whole has been designated a World Heritage Site, as one of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara."
References
- Conrad Schirokauer, David Lurie, and Suzanne Gay, A Brief History of Japanese Civilization, Wadsworth Cengage (2013), 41-42.