ABOUT
About this spot
Akishino-dera is an independent temple in Akishino-cho, northwest of central Nara and just north of Saidai-ji. Its quiet grounds, wrapped in trees and moss, make it a favorite for travelers who prefer a calm atmosphere among Nara's old temples. The temple is traditionally said to have been founded in 776 by the monk Zenju at the request of Emperor Konin. This tradition comes from a Kamakura-period document, but the Shoku Nihongi records that in 780 the emperor granted the temple 100 households, so it clearly existed by then. It was a Hosso temple at first, became a Shingon temple in the Heian period, and lost most of its buildings except the lecture hall in a fire in 1135. The main hall, a National Treasure, stands on the site of the old lecture hall and was rebuilt in the Kamakura period. It has a hipped tile roof and an earthen floor, and its simple, conservative design recalls Nara-period architecture. The principal image is a Yakushi Triad (Important Cultural Property). The standing Gigeiten, about 2.06 m tall, is an Important Cultural Property. Its head is dry-lacquer from the Nara period, while the body is Kamakura-period wood. It is the only known early sculpture of this deity in Japan and is called the "Muse of the Orient." The Daigen-sui Myoo statue in the Daigendo is a hidden image shown to the public only on June 6. Traces of the Nara-period Golden Hall and the east and west pagodas remain, and moss spreads beneath the trees. The best seasons are fresh green and late November. Hours are listed as 9:30 to 16:30 and admission as 500 yen for high school students and older, but these may change, so please contact the temple. It is about 6 minutes by Nara Kotsu bus from Yamato-Saidaiji Station. Saidai-ji is about 1.2 km away.
Last updated October 24, 2026