Architecture of Asuka-Nara
Asuka (538–645 CE) and Nara (645–710 CE) – the Buddhist Temples Horyuji and Todaiji
Asuka Period (538–645 CE)
The oldest Buddhist monasteries in Japan are located in the city of Nara and its surroundings. The name of the Asuka period is associated with the fact that the temporary capital of the state was located in a valley of the same name. One of the most notable architectural monuments of that era is linked to Prince Regent Shōtoku (Shōtoku Taishi, 574–622 CE), who played a key role in spreading Buddhism and consolidating power in the country.
Under the prince’s orders, construction began in the village of Ikaruga (the original name of the temple complex was Ikaruga-dera), later renamed Horyuji (Temple of the Flourishing Law). Despite fires—one as early as 670—which destroyed the temple, some structures still stand as the oldest wooden buildings in the world. Among them are the Kondo (Golden Hall) and the graceful five-story pagoda, 32 meters tall, located in the western part of the complex (Sai-in, the Western Temple).
The design of the pagoda traces back to the ancient Indian stupa, a dome-shaped structure serving as a reliquary for ashes or other sacred Buddhist relics. However, in Nepal, Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and Japan, the stupa evolved into an elegant, multi-tiered structure with distinctive curved roofs and wide eaves. The word “pagoda” is derived from the Portuguese mispronunciation of the Sanskrit word *bhagavat*, meaning sacred or glorious. The five tiers of Horyuji’s pagoda symbolize the five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The engineering of this tall structure incorporated innovations used for the first time in Japan. All the wooden elements supporting the pagoda’s layers are threaded onto a central column made from a giant larch tree and flexibly attached to it. This design enables the pagoda to withstand the frequent earthquakes in Japan.



To the east of the Western Temple is the Eastern Temple (Tō-in), which is likely located on the former site of the prince’s residence. At its center stands Yumedono (Hall of Dreams), an octagonal pavilion for prayer and contemplation.
Nara Period (645–710 CE)
The next historical period, Nara, is also named after the capital. The Todai-ji Temple, the most significant architectural complex of this era, was conceived as the country’s main religious center and a source of protection for the emperor during times of unrest.
During an uprising by the aristocratic Fujiwara family in 743, Emperor Shomu vowed to cast a colossal bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, which ultimately reached nearly 15 meters in height. The model for this statue was the giant Buddha near Luoyang in China, and construction began in 745. The hall built around the statue, Daibutsuden (“Great Buddha Hall”), is the largest wooden building in the world (its facades measure 57 and 50 meters, with a height of 48 meters), and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The monumentality of the building is emphasized by the clear horizontal divisions of its walls: the wooden elements stand out elegantly against the white background, highlighting the natural beauty of the material and creating a sense of simplicity and clarity, typical of Japanese architecture. The massive roof is crowned with two gilded roof ridges. After the Nara period, such colossal architectural and sculptural monuments were no longer built in Japan, and they remain as testaments to the era of Chinese architectural influence and the flourishing of Buddhist teachings in the country.

