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Special Historical Site
Kashihara-shi, Kidono-cho
Emperor Tenmu. praying that his wife (later Empress Jito) would recover from illness, Laid the plans for this temple dedicated to the "healing Buddha" Yakushi. The temple, for the most part completed in 698 (the 2nd year of Emperor Monmu's reign), adopted a novel ground plan for the constituent buildings (garan). with both an east and west pagoda in front of the golden hall. Rivaling in size and prestige the Daikandaiji in the eastern precinct (sakyo) of Fujiwara-kyo (see page 16), this temple in the western precinct (ukyo) was a further enhancement to the stately elegance of the Fujiwara capital.
Even after the temple's religious establishment was transferred to Heijo-kyo (Nara) in the early 8th century, a part of the original buildings remained in use until the early part of the Heian period (after the capital had been further moved to Kyoto at the end of the 8th century). in this way, the remaining temple came to be called the Moto ("original") Yakushiji, in contradistinction to the new Yakushiji as reestablished in Nara.
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