Daikandaiji Temple Site

Japan’s First State-Sponsored

Buddhist Temple

Long before Nara became the ancient capital, the Daikandaiji Temple stood as a powerful symbol of the fusion between politics and Buddhism in 7th-century Japan. Originally known as Ōtera (“Great Temple”), this vast complex was established under the reign of Emperor Tenmu around 673 CE, during a time of centralization and reform. As Japan’s first official government-funded Buddhist temple, Daikandaiji marked a pivotal shift—positioning Buddhism not just as a spiritual path, but as a tool of statecraft. Although today only foundation stones remain, excavations reveal a massive layout that rivaled later temples in Nara. For travelers interested in Japan’s political-religious history, the Daikandaiji Temple Site offers a rare look into the roots of Buddhist institutional power, set amidst the quiet, evocative fields of Asuka.

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See photos that Daikandaiji Temple Site to life.

Open field with a winding dirt path, standing signs, and a scenic mountain range in the background under a partly cloudy blue sky.
A dirt road runs through a vast green field with young crops, leading towards distant houses and trees under a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds.
A rural landscape with a wide grassy field in the foreground, a small village with houses in the middle ground, and mountains in the background under a partly cloudy blue sky.
Open field with young green crops, trees, and distant houses against a backdrop of mountains under a blue sky with white clouds.
A rural landscape with fields, trees, and mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
A rural landscape with a small dirt path winding through green fields towards a tree-covered hill and distant mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
Scenic rural landscape with green fields, a dirt path, a forested hill, and mountains in the background under a partly cloudy blue sky.
A vast open field with some grass, yellow-green plants, and a few small trees. In the background, there are distant houses, a forest, and mountain ranges under a partly cloudy sky.
Open farmland with yellow and brown fields under a partly cloudy blue sky, distant trees, and low houses along the horizon.
A rural landscape with a dirt pathway running through green fields under a blue sky with white clouds, with hills and a small village in the background.