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The first true temple in Japan, completed in 596 at the wish of Soga no Umako, enshrining the Asuka Great Buddha.
About this place
Asuka-dera (飛鳥寺), also known as Hōkō-ji (法興寺), is a Buddhist temple located in the village of Asuka, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It currently belongs to the Shingon-shū Buzan-ha sect. Asuka-dera is regarded as one of the oldest temples in Japan. Its precincts were designated a National Historic Site in 1966, and registered as a World Heritage Site under Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara in July, 2026.
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