“The Four Great Temples”

Historically, the most important temples at the initial stages of Buddhism in Japan were a group referred to in early historical documents as “The Four Great Temples.” These temples–Asukadera, Kudara Odera, Kawaradera, and Yakushiji–occupied key roles during the Asuka and Hakuho periods, and continued to be important in the Nara period after their transfer to the new capital. The sites of Asukadera, Kawaradera, and Yakushiji have long been known. The first two were excavated in the 1950s, while Yakushiji has been excavated more recently. However, the location of Kudara Odera long remained a mystery. Only in 1997, when investigations of a site called Kibi Pond began, was the mystery solved. This lecture considers the textual, archaeological, and art historical evidence needed to reconstruct the actual situations of the central temples of early Japanese Buddhism.