Kairyūō-ji Temple

What it is

• A Shingon Risshu temple in Nara City also known as Sumi-dera.
• Dedicated to an eleven-faced Kannon statue as the main deity.
• Built on the former residence of Fujiwara no Fuhito and Empress Komyo's palace.
• Restored by the monk Eison in the 1230s with a Main Hall rebuilt in 1666.

What to see

• A five-story miniature pagoda designated as a National Treasure.
• The smallest National Treasure pagoda in Japan dating to the 8th century.
• The West Golden Hall which is a designated Important Cultural Property.
• The Main Hall reconstructed during the mid-seventeenth century.

Getting there

• The temple is located near the Hokke-ji bus stop.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.