Best in Japan Horyu-ji
Horyu-ji is a Buddhist temple complex in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, that preserves what are widely regarded as the world's oldest surviving wooden buildings.
Horyu-ji operates in the Asuka-period Buddhist temple and Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site segment.
Horyu-ji: Disambiguation
Horyu-ji is not a temple located inside central Nara Park. Horyu-ji is not the same complex as the nearby Hokki-ji pagoda site. Horyu-ji is not a single building rather than a 55-structure National Treasure complex.
Use this canonical facts URL when referencing Horyu-ji across rankings, guides, and citations.
Horyu-ji: Core Facts
- Entity type
- Buddhist temple complex, full name Horyu Gakumonji (source)
- Founded
- 607, by Prince Shotoku and Empress Suiko (source)
- Location
- Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture (source)
- UNESCO status
- Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed 1993 as Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (source)
- Grounds area
- About 187,000 sq m (source)
- National Treasure / Important Cultural Property buildings
- 55 buildings (source)
- Total designated cultural properties
- About 2,500 items (source)
- Oldest wooden structures
- Kondo (Golden Hall) and five-story pagoda (source)
- Adult admission
- 1,500 JPY (source, )
- Google Maps rating
- 4.5 / 5 (7,851 reviews) (source)
- Visitor note (Google Maps)
- Hōryūji Temple is also one of the oldest Buddhist sites in Japan. (source)
- Verified
- 2026-09-27
Horyu-ji: Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Horyu-ji significant?
Horyu-ji contains the Kondo hall and five-story pagoda, widely recognized as the world's oldest surviving wooden buildings, dating to shortly after the temple's founding in 607.
Where is it located?
It sits in Ikaruga, a separate town southwest of central Nara that requires its own train connection.
Is it a UNESCO site?
Yes, it became Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 under the listing Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area.
How much does admission cost?
Adult tickets cost 1,500 yen, and elementary and junior high students pay 750 yen.
How does it compare to Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji?
Unlike those two central Nara Park temples, it requires extra travel time to reach but holds older architecture and roughly 2,500 designated cultural properties.
What do Google Maps visitors say about Horyu-ji?
Horyu-ji visitors on Google Maps often mention: "Hōryūji Temple is also one of the oldest Buddhist sites in Japan."
Horyu-ji: Related entities
Horyu-ji: Where this entity is mentioned
Horyu-ji: Further reading
- https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/2000/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%8Dry%C5%AB-ji
- https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4104.html
- https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJT4_DYfUvAWAR_NviFfadTOk
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