

We visited Enjoji Temple in Nin-nikusen-cho, Nara City which has a national treasure of Dainichi Nyorai.
We spent as much time as we could to appreciate the statue of Dainichi Nyorai, the many cultural assets and the beautiful garden of Enjoji Temple where is quietly located in the village of Yagyu.

Although Enjoji Temple is surrounded by mountains, it is easily accessible by bus from JR Nara Station.
And if you live in the Kanto region, but you can make a day trip to Enjoji Temple by Shinkansen bullet train.

There are many historical sites around Nara Station and if you feel like it, you can visit not only Enjoji Temple but also several other sites in a day trip.
In other words, if you live near Nara Station, you can spend your days immersed in historical heritage!

Passing through a small gate by the road from the bus stop along the mountain, you will see Enjoji Temple. The large pond and the tower gate form an ink painting-like landscape and it is easy to understand why this garden is so praised. And we have to know that visitors cannot enter the main hall through the gate because of the gate is an important cultural asset.
Enjoji Temple in Nin-nikusen

The National Treasure Dainichi Nyorai was once housed in the main hall.
The main hall which an Important Cultural Property was built in the Muromachi period (1336-1573) in the kasuga-zukuri shaden-zukuri style that is rare for a Buddhist temple.
The National Treasure Dainichi Nyorai

The National Treasure Dainichi Nyorai is Unkei's famous masterpiece as his first work.
On the back of the pedestal, it is written that it took 11 months to complete the work and it shows the passion that the young Unkei put into this statue.
Today, it is kept together with the standing statues of Shiten-ou in the newly built Sououden Hall that can be viewed from various angles. And it is a great opportunity to take the time to appreciate this masterpiece.
Tahou-Tou tower
The statue of Dainichi Nyorai was once in Tahou-Tou tower.
This tower was donated by the Emperor Go-Shirakawa. In the Taisho era (1912-1926), it was moved to Kamakura city. And it now on the temple grounds was reconstructed in 1990.
Dainichi Nyorai was kept in the hall that restored and painted by Buddhist painter Nakamura Koshin. We could sense a quiet severity in the gazes toward us from there.

And it shows its original beauty.
