Hōryū-ji was constructed in the 7th century by order of Prince Shōtoku (593–April 8, 622), one of the most important figures in Japanese history. He used to be printed one of our currency. Martyn, Anna, Seiji, and I visited this temple in Nara on the other day. Prince Shōtoku had it built for his father, the emperor, who was suffering from illness. Unfortunately, the emperor passed away before the temple was completed. The prince kept constructing it to keep his father's will. It has been registered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When we looked at some buildings, we immediately noticed that they were very old.

The five-story pagoda in the picture is a National Treasure.

I found a dragon winding around a pillar, which looked impressive.

Compared to Tōdai-ji, for some reason, Hōryū-ji isn't popular among foreign tourists. We rarely saw them. It was wonderful to explore such a historical place without lots of people.

The corridor in the picture below is also a National Treasure. It was fascinating to image that prince Shōtoku might have walked there.

We also spotted a very tiny zen garden.

If you want to visit a historical spot without crowds, I highly recommend this temple. You can enjoy sightseeing at a relaxed pace.

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