Shorin-ji

Temple

聖林寺

Home of the Graceful Eleven-Headed

Kannon of Ancient Nara

Best known for its National Treasure Eleven-Headed Kannon, Shorin-ji Temple is a historic Buddhist temple in Sakurai, Nara, founded in 712 and now affiliated with the Murouji branch of Shingon Buddhism. Although the temple's principal image is Jizo Bosatsu, it is especially renowned for its elegant standing Eleven-Headed Kannon, a masterpiece of Nara-period Buddhist sculpture. According to official temple sources, the statue was originally enshrined at Daigorin-ji near Mount Miwa before being transferred to Shorin-ji during the Meiji period. Today, it is housed in the modern Kannon Hall, completed in 2022.

The temple also enjoys a peaceful hilltop setting overlooking the Yamato Basin, with views extending toward Mount Miwa and nearby historic sites. For visitors, Shorin-ji offers a rewarding introduction to Buddhist art, religious history, and the cultural landscape of the Sakurai region.

Traditional Japanese building with wooden architecture and tiled roofs, surrounded by a garden with various trees and bushes, stone steps leading up to the entrance, and a blue sky with some clouds.
Traditional Japanese temple entrance with wooden gate, stone lanterns, and decorative rooftop with mountings of mythical lion-dog statues, surrounded by autumn foliage and a clear blue sky.
Front view of a traditional Japanese temple entrance with wooden stairs, stone lanterns, and greenery on both sides.
View of a wooden balcony with a railing, leading to a rural landscape with trees and fields, under a clear blue sky.
View of a traditional Japanese wooden building with a narrow balcony overlooking a garden with trees, shrubs, and stone elements, against a backdrop of hills and a clear blue sky.
Traditional Japanese wooden structure with a tiled roof, surrounded by lush green trees and blooming plants under a blue sky with scattered clouds.
A view from a wooden balcony or porch overlooking a town with rooftops, surrounded by rolling hills and mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
Traditional Japanese temple roof surrounded by trees and garden, clear blue sky.
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