The Village of Ikaruga: From Fujinoki Kofun Burial Mound to Horyu-ji, Chugu-ji, Horin-ji, and Hoki-ji Temples

This is a walking route around the village of Ikaruga. From Fujinoki Kofun Burial Mound to the World Heritage site of Horyu-ji Temple, you will proceed north through the countryside from neighboring Chugu-ji Temple toward Horin-ji Temple and Hoki-ji Temple, which is also a World Heritage site. In a single day, trace a burial mound, four temples, and three pagodas.

History and Regional Appeal

The four temples of Ikaruga are gathered closely enough to be visited on foot. Each temple carries legends linked to Prince Shotoku.

The starting point, Fujinoki Kofun Burial Mound, is a circular burial mound built in the late 6th century. Around 607, Empress Suiko and Prince Shotoku founded Horyu-ji Temple to carry out the wishes of Emperor Yomei. The buildings from its founding are thought to have been destroyed by fire in 670, and the current Sai-in Precinct was reconstructed between the late 7th century and the early 8th century.

Chugu-ji Temple is a nunnery built by Prince Shotoku for his mother, Empress Anahobe no Hashihito. Horyu-ji Temple and Chugu-ji Temple are believed to have existed in a paired relationship as a monastery and a nunnery. For Horin-ji Temple, tradition says it was founded by Prince Shotoku's son, Prince Yamashiro no Oe, and his grandson, Prince Yugi, praying for Prince Shotoku's recovery from illness. Hoki-ji Temple was founded by Prince Yamashiro no Oe in accordance with Prince Shotoku's dying wish. Its predecessor is thought to have been Okamoto no Miya, where the prince gave lectures on the Lotus Sutra.

In 1993, Horyu-ji Temple and Hoki-ji Temple were registered as World Heritage sites under the name "Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area." The five-story pagoda of Horyu-ji Temple and the three-story pagodas of Horin-ji Temple and Hoki-ji Temple are collectively referred to as the Three Pagodas of Ikaruga.

Key Highlights

• ​Fujinoki Kofun Burial Mound​​: A circular burial mound about 50 meters in diameter and about 9 meters high. In the first excavation in 1985, a large corridor-style (yokoana-shiki) stone chamber and a vermilion-painted house-shaped stone coffin were discovered. Usually, visitors can view the stone chamber and stone coffin through the glass window of the door installed at the chamber entrance. Special public viewings of the stone chamber take place in spring and autumn.
• ​Horyu-ji Temple​​: Beyond the Chumon (Middle Gate), the Kondo (Main Hall) and the five-story pagoda stand side by side. The Kondo is considered the world's oldest extant wooden building. The five-story pagoda stands about 32.5 meters tall from its base. The Daihozo-in repository houses the Kudara Kannon statue and the Tamamushi no Zushi shrine, while the octagonal Yumedono (Hall of Dreams) stands in the To-in (East Precinct).
• ​Chugu-ji Temple​​: The principal image is the National Treasure Bodhisattva Half-Lotus Pose statue (traditionally identified as Nyoirin Kannon). Depicted with the fingertips of its right hand gently touching its cheek, it is also called one of the "three smiling statues of the world" due to the gentle expression of its face. The main hall also houses a replica of the Tenjukoku Mandara Shucho embroidery, known as Japan's oldest surviving embroidery.
• ​Horin-ji Temple​​: Its three-story pagoda was destroyed by lightning in 1944 and was rebuilt in 1975 thanks in part to the efforts of author Koda Aya and others. The standing statue of Kokuzo Bosatsu from the Asuka period is carved from a single block of camphor wood (ichiboku-zukuri) from the top of its head to its pedestal, and its appearance looks as though it were modeled after the Kudara Kannon of Horyu-ji Temple.
• ​Hoki-ji Temple​​: Erected in 706, this National Treasure three-story pagoda stands about 24 meters high and is the oldest three-story pagoda in Japan. While modeled after the five-story pagoda of Horyu-ji Temple, it stands to the east of the site where the main hall once stood, contrasting with the layout of Horyu-ji Temple.

Recommended Route and Travel Time

The recommended duration is about 6 hours. The total straight-line distance connecting the spots is about 2.5 kilometers.

From the Osaka area, take the JR Yamatoji Rapid Service to Horyuji Station. From Kyoto Station, transfer at JR Nara Station. From JR Nara Station to Horyuji Station, it takes about 12 minutes by train.

From Horyuji Station, take a Nara Kotsu bus to "Horyuji Sando," then walk west for about 10 minutes to reach Fujinoki Kofun Burial Mound. If walking from the station, it takes about 25 minutes to reach the Ikaruga Cultural Properties Center. At the center, you can learn about the burial mound through replicas of major excavated artifacts and video presentations. The burial mound is about 200 meters north from there.

Walk about 350 meters east from Fujinoki Kofun Burial Mound to reach the Sai-in Precinct of Horyu-ji Temple. Proceed from the Nandaimon (South Main Gate) to the Chumon, and explore the Sai-in Precinct. After stopping by the Daihozo-in repository, pass through the Todaimon (East Main Gate) and head toward the Yumedono in the East Precinct. It is best to allow about 2 hours for Horyu-ji Temple.

From the Yumedono, it is about a 1-minute walk to Chugu-ji Temple. The soft appearance of the principal image of Chugu-ji Temple is often contrasted with the solemn appearance of the Guze Kannon statue in the Yumedono.

From Chugu-ji Temple to Horin-ji Temple, walk about 810 meters north, which takes about 20 minutes. Proceed while enjoying the peaceful rural scenery. From Horin-ji Temple to Hoki-ji Temple, walk east for about 650 meters, taking about 15 minutes. While recalling the five-story pagoda of Horyu-ji Temple, compare the reconstructed pagoda of Horin-ji Temple with the 706 pagoda of Hoki-ji Temple.

For the return journey, take a Nara Kotsu bus from the "Hokijimae" bus stop located right next to Hoki-ji Temple. It connects to Kintetsu-Koriyama Station in about 19 minutes. To reach JR or Kintetsu Nara Station, a bus bound for Kasuga-taisha Honden takes about 60 minutes, but departures are infrequent, so check the schedule in advance. "Hokijiguchi" is a separate bus stop where buses running between Oji Station and Nara stop; it is a 10-minute walk from Hoki-ji Temple. If walking all the way back to Horyuji Station, allow about 57 minutes.

Summary of the Experience

Starting from the stone chamber of a 6th-century kofun, proceed to the Kondo, the five-story pagoda, and the gently smiling statue of Chugu-ji Temple. Beyond your walk through the fields await the reconstructed pagoda of Horin-ji Temple and the pagoda of Hoki-ji Temple, which has stood since 706. Spend a day tracing the temples connected to Prince Shotoku on your own two feet.