Asukadera Temple

Asukadera Temple (飛鳥寺, Asuka-dera) is one of the oldest temples in Japan, built in 596 by the powerful Soga clan, who strongly supported the rise of Buddhism. Though the original large temple complex has been lost to fires over time, the temple’s highlight remains—the Asuka Great Buddha, the oldest known Buddha statue in Japan, created just 20 years after the temple’s founding. Crafted in 609 by a skilled sculptor from the Korean peninsula, this seated figure stands about three meters tall and was made using 15 tons of copper and 30 kilograms of gold.

Nestled in a quiet neighborhood in the Asuka region, the current temple buildings date back to the 1600s and 1800s. The original complex once included a towering pagoda and grand halls, but today, visitors will find a peaceful site with a rich historical legacy. Asukadera is also known as the "original Gangoji," since its religious community later moved to Nara to form the well-known Gangoji Temple.