Oka-dera

The Oka -dera (Japanese冈 寺) is a Buddhist temple in the village of Asuka, Nara Prefecture in Japan. Its official name is Ryūgai -ji (龙 盖 寺" Dragon closure Temple "). The temple is associated with the Shingon sect Buzan. Main image of the temple is a statue of Kannon with wunscherfüllendem jewel ( Nyoirin Kannon ), Japan's largest Tonbildnis. The Oka -dera is the seventh temple of Saigoku - pilgrimage (西 国 三十 三 箇 所, Saigoku sanjūsankasho ).

Survey

The temple is said to have been built at the beginning of the 8th century by the priest Gien on the site of the former palace of Prince Kusakabe Okamiya no miko ( 662-689 ). None of the building dates from the founding period. With the construction of the current main hall was started in 1805. The entrance is from the year in 1612. The teaching building from 1644 is registered as an important cultural asset. Oldest building is the mausoleum Giens from the year 1360th

During excavations in 2005, tiles were found when located on the grounds Haruta Shrine, which resulted in a classification of the temple grounds as archaeological site. The long in the possession of the temple statue located Giens, worked in dry lacquer technique is a national treasure and now part of the collection of the Nara National Museum.

The official name Ryūgai -ji refers to the founding legend of the temple. After that, the area had been hit at the turn of the 7th to 8th century by a dragon. The frightened residents called the priest to help Gien, who could banish by the power of his Buddhist prayer rope the dragon into a pond. The pond was sealed with a stone inscribed to prevent escape of the Dragon. Pond and stone located on the temple grounds.

From Osaka you reach the Oka -dera best with the trains of the railway company Kintetsu. The Kintentsu Minami-osaka/Yoshino Line Express serves the Okadera of Abenobashi Station.