Guide to Japanese Buddhist Temples
Unlike a Christian church or Jewish synagogue, a Buddhist temple is not usually a single building, but several structures clustered together across sometimes extensive grounds. Structures typically found at Japanese temples are as follows.
Main hallThe sacred objects of worship, such as statues, are displayed in the main hall. In Japanese, main halls are called kondo, hondo, butsuden, amidado or hatto. |
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Lecture hallLecture halls are for meetings and lectures and often also display objects of worship. Lecture halls are called kodo. |
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PagodaThe pagoda, a structure that has evolved from the Indian stupa, usually comes with three (sanju no to) or five (goju no to) stories. Pagodas store relics of the Buddha, usually in form of a representation. |
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GatesGates mark the entrance to the temple grounds. There is usually one main gate, and possibly several additional gates, for example, along the temple's main approach. |
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BellOn New Year's eve, temple bells are rang 108 times, corresponding to the Buddhist concept of 108 worldly desires. Photo: Bell at Kyoto's Ryoanji Temple.
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CemeteryBecause contact with death is regarded as source of impurity in Shinto, most cemeteries in Japan are Buddhist and are usually located at a temple. The Japanese visit their ancestors' graves on many occasions during the year, especially during Obon week, the equinoctial weeks and the anniversaries of deaths. Photo: Tokyo cemetery. |
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