Osaka's oldest Buddhist temple

#Osaka Travel Shitennoji Temple (四天王寺 / Shitennoji Temple) in Osaka is one of the oldest temples in Japan and is the country's first imperial Buddhist temple. It was built in 593 by Prince Shotoku during the reign of Empress Suiko. Although the temple was later destroyed by fire several times, it was repaired and preserved the art and architecture of the 6th century very well. For this reason, the current building is relatively new because it was last renovated in the 19th century. 🚄 How to get there ➡️ The nearest station is Shitennoji-mae-Yuhigaoka Station, which is served by the Tanimachi Line subway. It takes about 5 minutes to walk there. ➡️ JR Tennoji Station (JR Loop Line) is a bit further away, but it is still within walking distance. It takes about 10 minutes to walk there. 🏯 This temple is quite large. You should allow 1-2 hours to walk around the whole place. Inside the temple, there are 3 zones as follows: ➡️ The Great Hall Zone - stands out with red pagodas in all 4 directions, with the temple and surrounding buildings surrounding a wide courtyard in the middle. ➡️ Japanese Garden Zone - Beautifully shady, with ponds and various trees. If you come during the cherry blossom season, it is very beautiful. ➡️ Museum of Antiquities - Inside, there are valuable antiquities that are National Treasures of Japan, such as an ancient sword believed to belong to Prince Shotoku and the original Hokekyo Sutra from the Heian period, as well as various ancient paintings, which are genuine antiques that survived wars and disasters. It is really worth a visit. ⏰ The temple opens at 8:30 a.m. and closes around 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. The outer Temple Ground area is open 24 hours a day.