Horyu-ji
Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
One of the world’s oldest surviving wooden temple complexes and a foundational monument of Japanese Buddhism.
The World’s Sacred Places
Sacred Places
Discover a curated guide to significant sacred places, pilgrimage traditions, architecture, documented history and practical visitor information across cultures and faith traditions.
CuratedSource-awareMulti-faithVisitor-ready where known
Curated Discovery
4 Sacred Places
Browse Sacred Places selected for Templestan’s public collection.
Kasuga Taisha
Kasuganocho, Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan Shinto
UNESCO-listed Nara shrine of the Fujiwara tradition, famous for sacred deer, primeval forest and thousands of lanterns.
Todai-ji
Zoshicho, Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
UNESCO-listed Nara temple housing the monumental Great Buddha and central to early Japanese state Buddhism.
Yakushi-ji
Nishinokyo, Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
UNESCO-listed Nara temple dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha, with major early Buddhist art and pagodas.