Thank you for choosing Tokyo Free Walking Tour among many tours. We welcomed five people from Australia, America and Colombia. It was unusually warm and nice weather in winter. Early cherry-blossoms have begun to bloom and we hope you enjoyed the tour with us at Ueno Park. Photos which we took during the tour are posted.
Daikakuji Temple is an old and distinguished temple in Kyoto. The temple is in the western district in the city of Kyoto and full of history, culture and nature. To commemorate the 1150th anniversary of its establishment in 2026, Tokyo National Museum is holding a special exhibition of Daikakuji’s treasures from January 21 to March 16 as mentioned during the tour.
Daikakuji was originally built as an imperial villa of Emperor Saga during the early Heian period(794-1185) about 1,200 years ago. Emperor Saga, whose father was Emperor Kanmu who transferred the capital to Heiankyo(Kyoto) from Heijokyo(Nara) and built the foundation of Heian culture and art. The villa was converted into a temple shortly after the emperor’s death. The Daikakuji Temple belongs to the Shingon Buddhist sect established by Kukai. It was closely connected with the Imperial family who succeeded the head priests of the temple until the end of the Edo period. Thus, the temple is deep-rooted in tradition with plenty of prestige.
The exhibition displays numerous artifacts such as Buddhist statues and paintings which the temple has had since the Heian period. Among them, the statues of the Five Great Wisdom Kings, selection of calligraphy by the successive emperors and legendary swords are masterpieces and breathtaking.
In addition, you may be amazed at the panoramic view of over 100 wall paintings all over the room which were created during the Edo period. It’s rare to have all of these here in Tokyo and is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is recommended to see the special exhibition if you are around.
Thank you again for choosing Tokyo Free Walking Tour and we look forward to seeing you at our other tours in the future.
(Yoshi)