Each branch of Japanese culture carries within itself the extraordinary features of the life and traditions of the Japanese inhabitants. Temples in Japan are no exception. They perform many primary functions, the main one of which is the preservation of religious traditions. Temples are representatives of sacred architecture, which the Japanese treat with special reverence. In addition, Japanese temples are considered cultural monuments with special parameters that set them apart from the sights of other countries. Japanese temples have characteristic details in a consistent classical style, complemented by eclectic elements.
Features of temples
The architecture of the spiritual centers of Asia shows the heirs what the values used to be, how people interacted with each other and what political views they had. Temples in Japan began to be built in the Middle Ages. It was this country that spread religion to nearby Asian settlements. All the temples of the countries are different from each other, even if they have common features. In particular, the arrangement of the cathedral, landscaping of areas, structuring of space.
In the seventh century, almost all Asian artists took their cue from China. Temples in Japan were built according to the same principle. Architects took already developed buildings as a basis. Gradually, the temples of Japan improved and added local style to the buildings. Rainy weather was also typical for these places. Therefore, architects solved the problem of moisture resistance of churches.
Buddhist temples in Japan
The local population considers such buildings to be a separate direction in architecture. People believe that Buddhist temples are a combination of spiritual practices, philosophy, science and aesthetics. The building has a wide roof with a spire on it. Such temples always have columns. People pay special attention to the materials with which buildings are sheathed. Buddhist temples in Japan:
- Rean-Ji. The temple is located in Kyoto, Japan. Its distinctive feature is that it survived 3 fires, but the walls were subject to reconstruction. This temple is dear to the indigenous population. Therefore, it was included in the World Heritage List. There are stones throughout the area, and there are no plants or grass among them. In addition, there is a pond with several bridges across it. The temple attracts even those who are far from Buddhism. After all, an atmosphere of calm relieves stress and encourages reflection on life.
- Enryaku-Ji. This is one of the oldest temples, it was built in the 8th century. For almost its entire history, a Buddhist school operated on its territory. However, people are not being trained there now. There are only 3 full-fledged structures on the territory of the temple. They have large halls, auditoriums and places for meditation.
- Todai-Ji. This is the largest temple that the Japanese managed to build from wood. Its main feature is its location in the center of the settlement. There is a high gate at the entrance to the temple. After them there is a staircase 25 meters long. On the way to the temple, a person is presented with figures of saints made of wood.
These are the most popular and beautiful Buddhist temples of this wonderful country. However, visiting them is quite difficult. After all, there is a queue of tourists who want to get into it. But this cannot be done every day, because monks serve and meditate in temples. Therefore, you can visit them at the allotted time.
Itsukushima Church
This temple is located on a sacred island, which is difficult for an ordinary tourist to get to. The area is surrounded by the Sea of Japan. There are no scheduled flights to the island. This is a Shinto shrine in Japan that is one of the most popular cathedrals. This is the merit of the architects, because they made a gate at the entrance close to the sea. Sometimes there are high tides that completely submerge them. The builders painted them bright red and they are made of oak and maple.
On the territory of the temple there are many buildings and complexes of buildings. The lower part of which is painted white and the roof red. Most of the buildings are intended for servants and priests.
Toshogu building complex
It was built in honor of the outstanding Colonel Tokugawa Iyashagi. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the temple has been under the protection of UNESCO. Its main feature is the crypt of Colonel Iyasyagi. Exactly 8 buildings on the territory are considered national treasures of the country. Initially the temple was built of wood. However, due to the rains, it was made of stone. 10 years later it was remade again. All buildings were made of bronze, which is moisture resistant and durable compared to similar materials. Tourists can easily reach all key places. Sometimes monks talk about their religion.
Antiquity
Ancient buildings - built before the 4th century AD. e. These are mainly residential buildings, about which history has preserved very little information. The original Japanese structures were built from earth and wood. Therefore, many of them were lost due to natural disasters, humid climates, fires, and wars. Clay models, images on bronze, and the results of archaeological excavations briefly tell about the architecture of antiquity.
Jomon period
The historical era lasted until 300 BC. Gatherers, fishermen, and hunters lived in dugouts called tata-ana-juke. The dwelling consisted of a pit with a compacted earthen floor and a thatched roof supported by a wooden frame. The water flowing down the roof could be collected in a container. A whole village of such houses is located on Mount Maruyama in the Sannai district of Aomori.
Tata-ana-juke
Yayoi period
The historical Yayoi era lasted from 300 BC. e. to 250 AD e. This is a time of widespread rice farming. Permanent settlements with living quarters, warehouses, village fences, and watchtowers appear. Buildings with a raised floor and a gable roof were called takayuka. They reliably protected the grain from moisture and rodents. Also, such structures served as dwellings for leaders and especially revered members of the tribe.
Yoshinogari Historical Park in Saga Prefecture is a place to explore the settlement of the Yayoi period.
Takayuka
Kofun period
The historical era of Kofun lasted from the 3rd century. n. e. until the 6th century n. e. At this time, the construction of kofun mounds began - huge tombs of noble people and local rulers. The oldest of them are round or quadrangular mounds. Later, multi-stage burial mounds appeared, similar to keyholes. They were surrounded around the perimeter by a moat with water. There are more than 10,000 such burials.
Kurgan-kofun
Kunaku-ji Church
This complex was built in 1397 for the recreation of one of the country's politicians. The temple is located in Kyoto, Japan. Its most important relic is a Buddhist statue of compassion called Avalokiteshvara. Also on the territory there are bronze statues of the creators and owners of the temple. The floor of the building is covered with pure gold. The main pavilion houses Buddha's relics. There is a sculpture of a Chinese phoenix on the roof. Around the temple there is a green area with trees and bushes. There is also a large lake on the territory where spruce trees grow on small islands. Near the shore there are statues of a crane and a toad; they symbolize the longevity of the Japanese people.
Traditional Japanese architecture
Regardless of what type of temple—whether Buddhist or Shinto—it is a whole ensemble of religious buildings, and not a separate building, exactly like ancient Russian monasteries. The traditional Japanese temple originally included 7 buildings:
- Gate of the territory fence (samon),
- Golden, aka the main temple (condo),
- Temple for preaching (kodo),
- Tower with bells or drums (sero or koro),
- The treasury is an analogue of the sacristy (shosoin),
- Book storage (kyozo),
- Pagoda with many tiers.
The Japanese believe that landscape and architecture go well together only when both are made of the same material. That is why the Japanese monastery, connecting with the surrounding landscape, seems to be its man-made continuation. In the temple courtyards there is a place for reflection and meditation, a stone garden, which partly replicate the landscape around the temple, the local nature, as well as the general idea of the universe as a whole.
Kofuku-ji Temple
Almost all religious sites in Japan are protected by UNESCO. Kofuku-ji was no exception. After all, ancient relics are located on its territory. It was also founded in 700 AD. The temple is considered one of the oldest in Japan. In 2021, the Hosso school continues to operate on the territory. The temple was founded in Kyoto, but is now located in the city of Nara. Its entire territory is filled with concrete. Among the buildings there is a lake with clear water. There are lotus flowers all over the water. Many people are interested in the names of temples in Japan. Such a stir arises because of the colonels after whom they are named. However, the name Kofuku was invented by Indian philosophers.
Middle Ages
The medieval architecture of Japan is characterized by the following features:
- Zen style in temple buildings (multi-hall places of worship and gilded roofs). The example is the Kinkaku-ji Temple, or the Golden Pavilion (XIV century).
- Development of castle architecture in the Yamajiro style . Wooden and stone buildings were located on flat territory. The ensemble included a central structure (tenshu tower) and numerous turrets, which were connected by passages. The structure was surrounded by a fence and ditches. An example is Imeji Castle (XIV–XVII centuries). It included more than 80 structures.
- Construction of stone palaces in the Hiradjiro style . 1–2-storey buildings were located on a hill in the middle of a garden and park ensemble. Natural wood was used in the interior decoration of such buildings. An example is the Katsura Palace in Kyoto (XVII century).
- The emergence of sukiya style tea houses . The structure resembles a light hut. Most often this is a one-story building with a low, narrow passage and a large number of high windows. Inside there is a room for holding a tea ceremony.
Imeji Castle
Temples for Christians
Most churches in the country belong to the views of Buddhism and Shintoism. However, there are Orthodox churches in Japan. They are spread thanks to Hieromonk Nicholas, who, secretly from the government, baptized the Japanese who wanted to join the Orthodox faith. This happened only in the 19th century. In 2021, according to statistics, there are 250 full-fledged Christian churches in Japan.
One of the most popular cathedrals is Nikoraya Do. Its real name is the Church of St. Nicholas. Its architecture is different from all similar buildings in the world. This is due to the peculiarity of the Orthodox faith in Japan. In the 19th century, the building survived an earthquake, which is why the temple was restored in a modern way. The Nikoraya Do Cathedral is the most important Orthodox church in the country. However, its architecture is reminiscent of Russian buildings. Inside the temple, almost everything is different from what we are used to seeing in Orthodox churches in the CIS countries. Starting from the smell of candles and ending with the style of icons. All services there are carried out fully. All women wear headscarves, men come in shirts. However, in this temple you can often find tourists wearing jeans.
Level of religiosity
Survey data is more plausible. The results of a survey published some time ago in the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper included responses to the question “Are you a believer?” Only 26% of respondents gave a positive answer to this question. If we exclude a certain number of people who are followers of new religious movements, including Christianity, then the followers of traditional religions will make up only half of this number.
It is also interesting that although the majority of respondents do not consider themselves religious, the vast majority of Japanese are involved in some form of religious practice. More than 70% conduct religious rituals for the dead and more than 60% participate in rituals for good luck (New Year's wishes, fortune telling, purchasing amulets).
Data from a 2010 Gallup survey of the world show that Japan is among the least religious countries. By the way, these results demonstrate a stable correlation between the degree of religiosity of the population and the level of socio-economic development of the country.
Resurrection Church
This temple was organized by the consulate of the Russian Federation in 1850. It is the first Orthodox church in Japan. It was built by the Russian architect Igor Gorshkevich; he wanted to resurrect Christianity in this country. Therefore, the builders decided to dedicate the temple to Jesus Christ and his Holy Resurrection.
The temple is located at the highest point in the city of Hakodate. Initially, the body of the building was made of wood. It also had a basement and two floors. At the highest point of the church there was a golden bell. However, the building has gone through many restorations due to impractical materials. Now it is made of concrete and painted white. On its territory there is a Resurrection school, where visiting Russians and Orthodox Japanese study. Adults can attend services and Orthodox courses. The temple administration pays special attention to the vocal component - there is a professional choir. Also, following fashion trends, priests maintain an Orthodox website in English. It even has a section “Temples of Japan, photos.” However, there are only Christian churches there.
Modernity
Since Japan opened its borders to other states, its architecture has undergone some changes, but on the whole it has retained its originality. Almost half of the buildings are still traditionally constructed from timber frames. But naturally other materials were added to wood and stone: brick, glass, reinforced concrete.
All Japanese buildings must meet specific government requirements. They are built according to a special design, often on stilts. It is thanks to this that in recent years not a single structure, not even skyscrapers, has been seriously damaged in numerous earthquakes.
Now the Land of the Rising Sun itself often dictates modern trends in construction. Futuristic buildings made from the latest high-tech materials are combined with iconic rock gardens, ponds with bridges, and green landscapes.
Japan has many unusual buildings that are known far beyond the country's borders, for example:
- Tokyo residential complex Cellbrick - built with special steel modules in a checkerboard pattern;
Cellbrick Residential Complex, Tokyo
- Tokyo curtain house, where instead of walls a rather dense canvas is hung;
Curtain House, Tokyo, Japan
- The glass school is a branch of Kanagawa Technical University.
Glass school in Kaganawa, Japan
Temple in Sapporo
At the very beginning, this church was created as a house of prayer. The Orthodox community from Japan gathered there. Due to its popularity, people organized a separate building for Christian rituals and services. It was financed by Russia, but in the 20th century a crisis began, which is why the temple operated at the expense of donations. As a result, the administration published a newspaper that covered important Christian holidays, prayers, stories, and so on.
When sporting events began throughout the country, the church was moved to another location. A new building was built for this purpose. It is made of concrete and painted white. The temple has 6 domes where the bell towers are located.
Cemeteries and home altars
Most cemeteries are located on temple grounds. However, in villages and big cities, places for cemeteries may be allocated by the municipality. Families visit cemeteries to conduct mourning ceremonies both for deceased family members and to commemorate all ancestors on the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes and the spring Festival of the Dead.
Many families have home altars. According to surveys conducted by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, 59% of Japanese families had altars. Usually, images or statues of Buddha Amitabha or Buddha Shakyamuni are placed on the altar, as well as tablets with the names of deceased ancestors. Daily religious practice may include offering rice, water, or sake at the altar along with reciting prayers.
People pray to Buddha to calm the souls of their ancestors, and also turn their prayers to the ancestors themselves, asking them for protection for their family. In reality, the cult of ancestors is not Buddhist and goes back to pre-Buddhist cults or Confucian morality.
