Yasaka Pagoda

The Yasaka Pagoda (Japanese: 八坂の塔), also known as Tower of Yasaka and Yasaka-no-to, is a Buddhist pagoda located in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan.[1] The 5-story tall pagoda is the last remaining structure of a 6th-century temple complex known as Hōkan-ji Temple.[2][3] The pagoda is a popular tourist attraction.[4]

Yasaka Pagoda
八坂の塔
The Yasaka Pagoda as seen from Yasaka-dori
Religion
AffiliationZen Buddhism
RiteKennin-ji Rinzai
Location
LocationHigashiyama-ku, Kyoto
CountryJapan
Yasaka-no-to Pagoda is located in central Japan.
Yasaka-no-to Pagoda is located in central Japan.
Shown within Kyoto Prefecture
Yasaka-no-to Pagoda is located in central Japan.
Yasaka-no-to Pagoda is located in central Japan.
Yasaka Pagoda (Japan)
Geographic coordinates34°59′55″N 135°46′45″E
Architecture
Date established7th Century
Completed1408 (Reconstruction)

History

Archaeological evidence dates the foundation of the Yasaka Pagoda to the 7th Century. The founding date is disputed between the reign of Prince Shotoku and the sixth year of the Tenmu period (678 CE).[5] The pagoda and the associated temple were destroyed and reconstructed several times up to 1408, of which the current pagoda stands to this day.

Control of the pagoda was historically disputed between the nearby Shinto Gion Shrine and the Buddhist temple of Kiyomizu-dera, to the point the pagoda was burnt down in May of 1179.[5] It was later rebuilt in 1191 with funding from Kawachi Genji noble Minamoto no Yoritomo. In 1240, the head priest of the nearby Buddhist temple of Kennin-ji affiliated the pagoda with Zen Buddhism, which remains the official designation of the Yasaka Pagoda to the present day.

See also

References
  1. Oevermann, Heike; Gantner, Eszter (2019-08-08). Securing Urban Heritage: Agents, Access, and Securitization. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-62435-3.
  2. "Hokan-ji Temple". Kyoto City Official Travel Guide. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  3. "Yasaka-no-to Pagoda". Inside Kyoto. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  4. Jenkins, Mark. "Why your next vacation should be in Japan". Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  5. "Historic site Hokanji precincts" (PDF) (in Japanese). Kyoto City Archaeological Research Institute. 2010-03-31. Retrieved 2021-11-06.
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