Iwate, Japan Apr. 26 Fri 4:41PM
A Pure Land Garden Temple
Hiraizumi, Iwate, was the Heian Period's northern center of politics and culture, and rivaled even Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital, until the 12th century. At that time, Japan's first shogun destroyed the city, and never fully recovered. Today, Hiraizumi remains an important historical legacy for Tohoku and Japan.
Motsuji Main Hall
Motsuji was a formerly large temple of the Tendai Buddhist sect, and fell with the rest of Hiraizumi in the 12th century. Today, parts of Motsuji remain, including its pure land garden, which is one of the few remaining in Japan. These gardens were quite common during the Heian Period, and they were created to model the concept of Buddhist paradise, the pure land.
Another interesting part of Motsuji Temple is that foundations of the buildings that used to exist on the complex are still in tact and can be seen.