Rinnoji (Rinno-ji) Temple, Nikko, Japan

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Rinnoji (Rinno-ji) is a complex of 15 Buddhist temple buildings in the city of Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. They are situated around the mausoleum of Nikko Tosho-gu. The site was established in 766 AD by the Buddhist monk, Shoto. Due to its geographic isolation, deep in the mountains of Japan, the site soon attracted other Buddhist monks in search of solitude. Among the most famous buildings is the sanbutsudo or Three Buddha Hall. This building features gold-leafed statues of Amida Buddha, Kannon with a thousand arms (senju-kannon) and Kannon with a horse's head (bato-kannon). Another building, near the mausoleum, houses an unusual statue of Amida Buddha riding a large crane, which is an iconography rarely found in Japan.

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Size: 5513px × 3383px
Location: Nikko National Park, Japan, Tochigi Prefecture (near Tokyo)
Photo credit: © Japanese Temples / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: asia, asian, attraction, buddha, buddhism, buddhist, heritage, japan, japanese, japanesetemples, national, nikko, park, peace, prefecture, religion, shinto, shrine, site, tochigi, tokyo, tourist, unesco, world