Shitennoji Temple

Shitennoji Temple

Life freezes when it walks in the pathway of mundane. The sunshine of tours and journeys will melt down your boredom. Intellectual peace will provide you scope for improvement and innovation. Buddhism and Zen philosophies will offer you consciousness of the soul. There are times when too mechanical life of the contemporary eon bogs us down. We often fall prey to depressions and disillusions. It is then we take the shelter of seclusion and oblivion. Shitenno-ji Temple is the apt place where you can realize the basic principles of life. This shrine is considered to be the oldest shrine of the island nation-state.

The Shitenno-ji Temple was constructed in the 1 st century of the Suiko Period around 593. History reveals that the temple was built by Prince Shotoku. He was the cultural torch-bearer of this far-east sovereign state. The temple is declared officially as the oldest shrine in Japan. Prince Shotoku (574-622, A.D.) at an age of 16 years instilled the ideals of Buddhism throughout the landmass of Japan. Shitenno-ji Temple depicts the effort of the young prince to bring in chanting and meditation in the Japanese civilization. The shrine stood as a spectator to the feud between two baronial families. It was after the prince won the battle against “Mononobe”, he constructed the holy place comprising of 4 gods, such as, Masunaga (South), Tamon (North), Jokoku (East) and Hirome (West). It was in the phase of his rule, Naniwa Harbor served as a significant port for trade and transportation with the rest of Asia.

On every 14 th day of January, the periphery of Shitenno-ji Temple wears the hue and shade of festivity and celebration. At 3 p.m. every year, the middle and high school students can be seen wearing red clothes and headbands marching on the streets. This festival portrays the recognition of the entreaty of Rokuji-do Temple (in Shitnniji Temple). This event also incorporates competition to get hold of an amulet dubbed as “Gooh-hou-in”. The temple resides near the Osaka Bay. This strategic position of Shitenno-ji Temple represented Japan's prosperity and power.

Shitenno-ji Temple has undergone continuous construction and re-construction. Shitenno-ji Temple is one of the most popular Buddhist shrine. Festivals like Shoryoe and Shitennoji Wasso are also held in the Shitenno-ji Temple of Osaka.

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