Shitennoji
大阪府
Japan's oldest official temple founded by Prince Shotoku in 593 — origin of the classic Shitennoji temple layout
Founded
593
Type
Temple
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大阪メトロ四天王寺前夕陽ヶ丘駅から徒歩5分
大阪府大阪市天王寺区四天王寺1-11-18
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Info
Temple
Founded 593
1433 years
Enshrined Deity
救世観世音菩薩
Buddhist Sect
和宗
Overview
Shitennoji (593), founded by Prince Shotoku, is one of Japan's oldest official temples and head temple of the Washu sect. Its linear layout — Five-Story Pagoda, Golden Hall, Lecture Hall, Main Gate — is Japan's oldest recorded temple arrangement. Monthly 21st/22nd festivals draw devoted Osaka residents; the West Gate torii is a famous sunset spot.
Origins
Built in 593 by Prince Shotoku at age 14. In 587, during the battle against Mononobe no Moriya, the young prince carved Four Heavenly Kings statues and vowed to build a temple if victorious. Japan's oldest full-scale Buddhist temple, its layout became the prototype for Japanese temple architecture.
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Divine Benefits
Healing & Longevity
Matchmaking
Safe Childbirth & Fertility
Warding Off Evil
Recovery from illness, bodily wellness, peace of mind. Especially efficacious at Yakushi and Kannon temples.
Derived from the enshrined deity "救世観世音菩薩"
記Related Articles— 12
記
記
Ohigan — Japan's Buddhist Equinox Weeks for Ancestor Memorial and Temple Visits
Ohigan is a seven-day Buddhist observance centered on the spring and autumn equinoxes, when families visit ancestral graves and temples. This guide explains the origin of the higan-bana flower, the significance of botamochi and ohagi sweets, and the major temple ceremonies at Shitennoji, Zenkoji, Horyuji, Todaiji, and Naritasan Shinshoji.
seasonal
›
記
Prince Shotoku: The Life and Sacred Sites of the Man Who Rooted Buddhism in Japan
As regent to Empress Suiko, Prince Shotoku made Buddhism the spiritual foundation of the Japanese state, establishing the Seventeen-Article Constitution and Cap-and-Rank system. This guide traces his life and thought through the surviving sacred sites he founded, and the trans-sectarian faith that grew around him.
basics
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記
Osaka Castle and Toyotomi Rule: Hideyoshi's Construction and the Fall of the Castle
A historical examination of Osaka Castle built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, covering related sites including Shitennoji and Sumiyoshi Taisha, based on primary sources.
era
›
もっと詳しく · 9
史Related Historical Events— 2
史
587
丁未の乱
587年、蘇我馬子が仏教受容をめぐる対立から物部守屋を滅ぼした戦い。物部守屋は河内国渋川郡（現在の大阪府八尾市・柏原市付近）の本拠で迎え撃ったが、蘇我軍に加わった厩戸皇子（後の聖徳太子）が四天王に誓願し戦勝を祈願したとされる。物部守屋は榎木に登って矢を射たが、迹見赤檮に射落とされて討死。物部氏の滅亡により、蘇我氏の権勢は絶頂に達し、以後の朝廷政治を左右することとなった。仏教の国家的受容が決定的となった歴史的合戦である。
Read more →
604
Prince Shōtoku's Political Reforms
In 604, Prince Shōtoku promulgated the Seventeen-Article Constitution — Japan's earliest written law, grounded in Buddhist and Confucian ethics and famously beginning "Harmony is to be valued." The Twelve-Level Cap and Rank system (603) established merit-based promotion over hereditary aristocratic privilege. His missions to Sui-dynasty China (600, 607) accelerated the import of continental culture, Buddhism, and governance systems to Japan.
Read more →
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Visiting Information
Hours
Temple grounds accessible 24 hours free of charge. Central precinct, garden, and Treasure Museum hours: April–September 8:30 AM–4:30 PM (8:00 AM–5:00 PM on the 21st); October–March 8:30 AM–4:00 PM (8:00 AM–4:30 PM on the 21st).
Admission
Free entry to the temple grounds. Central precinct: adults ¥500, high school ¥300, free for junior high and under. Garden: adults ¥300, high school ¥200. Treasure Museum: adults ¥500, high school ¥300. Central precinct opens free on the 21st and 22nd of each month, and during spring/autumn equinox services.
As of 2026-07-17. Subject to change.
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