Byodoin, a World Heritage Site That Is Probably Not on Your List to Visit
Byodoin is an ancient Heian period temple complex in Uji built in 998. It was originally a villa constructed for Minamoto no Shigenobu, who was a son of Emperor Uda. In the period of Japanese history starting after 814, the surname Minamoto was bestowed on members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession.
After Shigenobu died, Fujiwara no Michinaga purchased the property. The Fujiwara clan was powerful during this period, and the famous book The Tale of Genji is partially based on the life of Michinaga.
The villa was made into a Buddhist temple by Michinaga's son Fujiwara no Yorimichi in 1052, a Regent to the emperor. A Regent is a person appointed to govern on behalf of the emperor temporarily because the emperor is a minor or incapacitated.
In the following year, Amidado, or Phoenix Hall as it is referred to in English, was completed. The statue inside Phoenix Hall is of Amida Buddha, and was created by Jōchō, who is known as one of the best sculptors of Buddhist artifacts during the Heian Period.
Byodoin gradually expanded over the subsequent years with the addition of multiple structures. A wartime fire in 1336 destroyed many of those buildings, but fortunately left Phoenix Hall intact.
There were multiple efforts to renovate Byodoin, the first notable one in 1496. A new temple, Jodoin, was opened as an adjunct temple due to the renovation of Byodoin. Jodoin is operated by the Jōdo-shū (Pure Land) school of Buddhism and dedicated to the Amida Buddha.
Saisho-in, another notable temple established at Byodoin, was established in 1654 by the Tendai-shū (Heavenly Level) sect of Buddhism.
Today, both of these sects jointly manage the Byodoin temple complex, which now includes a museum and tea garden.
Byodoin was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage in 1994.
To be honest, we pretty much ignored both Jodoin and Saisho-in, and focused on Phoenix Hall and the museum. And of course the surrounding grounds are really well appointed with cherry trees, making for some nice pictures with Phoenix Hall, surrounded by a pond, in the background.
Entry into Phoenix Hall costs a few hundred yen. You are given a time slot to enter, and so you enter in a group. You'll walk across the red bridge into the main hall, and then a docent will provide a decription of the hall's contents and history - in Japanese only.
The museum is an additional charge to enter, but is well worth it. Numerous artifacts are on display inside, most notably a couple of phoenix and Buddha statues.
Getting to Byodoin is not really that difficult, though definitely out of the way. If you can get yourself to Uji station on the Uji line, you have a ten minute walk to get to the entrance, which is not too bad. So, if you've seen the main temples and shrines in the center of Kyoto, consider Byodoin as your next level Kyoto destination!
