Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land World Heritage Site

Official name

Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land | UNESCO

Country

Japan | Map

Continent

Asia

Location

39.1100° Lat, 141.1077° Lon | Map

Code

1277

Time Zone

Asia/Tokyo (JST, +0900)

Current Time

Category

Cultural

Description

Inscribed 2011. Hiraizumi - Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land comprises five sites, including the sacred Mount Kinkeisan. It features vestiges of government offices dating from the 11th and 12th centuries when Hiraizumi was the administrative centre of the northern realm of Japan and rivalled Kyoto. The realm was based on the cosmology of Pure Land Buddhism, which spread to Japan in the 8th century. It represented the pure land of Buddha that people aspire to after death, as well as peace of mind in this life. In combination with indigenous Japanese nature worship and Shintoism, Pure Land Buddhism developed a concept of planning and garden design that was unique to Japan.