HORYU-JI TEMPLE

A Buddhist temple in Nara said to be established in 607 CE. It is widely recognized as the world’s oldest wooden building and was registered as Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Horyu-ji is home to 55 buildings that are designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties, as well as outstanding Buddhist artworks, including over 150 National Treasures and a few thousand Important Cultural Properties. Thus, it is not just a temple but more of a museum fusing Buddhism and art. I tried to smell one of the pillars to feel the power of 1,300-year-old wooden architecture. The subtle aroma of hinoki (Japanese cypress) is still present as if to prove that Horyu-ji has been alive all these years and centuries.