Motoyakushiji

Temple Site

A Monument of Imperial　

Faith and Healing

Once a grand monument of faith and power in the late 7th century, the Motoyakushiji Temple was commissioned by Emperor Tenmu in 680 CE as a prayer for the recovery of his ill empress. Built in the ancient capital of Fujiwara-kyo, it was one of the largest temples of its time, featuring a rare twin-pagoda layout and dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha. Though the original structures were lost to fire and time, the site remains a poignant testament to Japan’s early fusion of spiritual devotion and imperial authority. Visitors today can explore the temple foundations while enjoying the stunning seasonal display of lotus flowers, which bloom across the fields each summer—evoking the temple’s original purpose of healing and peace. For those intrigued by early Japanese Buddhism and imperial history, the Motoyakushiji Site offers a quiet but powerful connection to a forgotten chapter of Japan's sacred heritage.

Explore the Sights

See photos that bring Motoyakushiji Temple Site to life.

A pathway through a garden with trees showing fall foliage, including red and orange leaves, and lush green bushes on the sides, with large rocks lining the path, under a clear blue sky.
A peaceful garden scene at sunset featuring a large red and orange maple tree with fallen leaves on the ground, rocks lining a dirt pathway, and a wooden building with a window on the left side.
A small traditional Japanese sacred site with stone markers and inscriptions, surrounded by trees and fallen autumn leaves.
A small stone shrine with weathered rocks, decorated with red fabric coverings and a flower arrangement at the center, surrounded by fallen leaves and greenery.
A quiet Japanese garden with leafless trees, large rocks, and a traditional wooden building. The scene is illuminated by warm evening light.
A traditional Japanese stone lantern surrounded by trees and bushes, with a background of houses and mountains under a clear sky during sunset.
A small Japanese-style garden shrine area with stone lanterns, statues, and a rock centerpiece, surrounded by greenery and fallen leaves.
A line of six small stone Japanese-style stone lanterns and stupas in a garden, surrounded by trees and shrubbery with fallen leaves.
A serene Japanese garden during autumn with a red-orange Japanese maple tree, traditional stone lanterns, and shrubs, illuminated by warm sunlight.
A stone lantern shrine in a garden, surrounded by autumn trees with bare branches, rocks, and grass, with farm fields and buildings in the background near sunset.
A garden with leafless trees, large rocks, and a stone pagoda monument, with a background of buildings and distant mountains under a clear blue sky.
Traditional Japanese wooden shrine with a raised platform, a bell hanging in the center, and a small offering area with a vase of flowers and plaques. The shrine is outdoors on a stone foundation with a metal roof, surrounded by trees and under a cle
A tall, leafless tree stands in a field with farm buildings and mountains in the background on a clear, sunny day.
A natural outdoor setting with rocks, bushes, and trees during sunset or sunrise.
Small wooden shrine or altar with flowers and figurines in front, located outdoors under a tree, with a field and houses in the background.
Open outdoor area with large stones on the ground, shrubs, leafless trees, residential houses, and a clear sky at sunset.
Large ancient stone circle with carved reliefs, surrounded by grass and bushes.
A leafless tree on a small mound surrounded by farm fields, with a clear blue sky and distant mountains in the background.
A house on a hill surrounded by leafless trees with a clear blue sky overhead.
Open fields with a large flat rock in the foreground, trees, and distant mountains under a clear blue sky.