At the entrance of the temple, you are greeted by two fierce-looking Nio statues who welcome you to explore this magnificent yet small temple of the Rakan statues. The 1,200 statues found here represent the disciples of Lord Buddha and bears witness to the significant contributions made by the innumerable devotees. The Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple was originally known as the Otagi-ji temple and is situated in the North West corner of the Sagano district. The main attraction of this temple remains the 1,200 Rakan figures carved by the many worshippers during the 1981-1991 decade.
Belonging to the Tandaishu sect of the Buddhist religion, it is believed that these figures were carved by the many devotees to invoke prosperity of the temple. Many a tourist who visits this temple would find these Rakans unique as they differ from the usual Buddhist statues found in any other temple. These seem to have been created with a sense of humour thus radiating a strong sense of humility, simplicity, and sincere devotion.
The temple has been destroyed many a times by natural disasters and has been rebuilt on the same site, and the structure that you see now was re-constructed in the year 1981. Originally built in the latter half of the 8th century, the temple fell victim to the Kamo River flooding and was rebuilt by Senkan Naigu as a branch of a nearby temple namely Enryaku-ji. It again fell victim to a civil war in the 13th century. Having been moved to its present location in the year 1922, the temple was greatly damaged by a typhoon in 1950.
Kyoto, often referred to as the cultural hub of Japan, not only offers the tourists the chance to experience the authenticity of Japanese culture but also is equipped with much more to meet the demands of modern living. You will encounter a stylish array of luxury Kyoto apartments that offer you several options to suit your budget and your needs. Located just a couple of metres from the Kyoto tourist hub, the Citadines Karasuma-Gojo Kyoto features a luxurious array of Kyoto serviced apartments designed to provide you with unparalleled hospitality service coupled with easy access to shopping, entertainment hubs, and innumerable restaurants.
Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and hopes to visit them all someday. Google+
