【Discover the Feature Exhibition】 Ancient Temples

 － Familiar Temples from Distant Times

January 17th (Tue.) ~ March 12th (Sun.), 2023

Feature Exhibition Room 1

The temple bells ring in New Year's Eve, children play and run through the temple grounds... The traditions and scenes may have changed little by little with the times, but temples are still a part of our daily lives.

Sue ware with the word "寺-temple" (8th century)

In Japan, Buddhism was introduced from Baekje in the 6th century and the building of temples began. Later, in the Nara period (710-794), Emperor Shomu erected the Great Buddha at Todaiji Temple and established Kokubunji Temple in each of the provinces of the country. Chikuzen Province (present-day part of Fukuoka Prefecture) was home to Kanzeonji Temple, one of the most famous temples on Kyushu Island. Today, we can still visit the Todaiji Temple in Nara and the Kanzeonji Temple in Dazaifu, while many other temples built during this period are no longer standing. There are some abolished temples in Fukuoka City, such as called 'Miyake Haiji' or 'Takabatake Haiji.’

What is the reason the temples were built, and why did they disappear over time? This exhibition explores how these unrecorded temples came to be known to us, and how they existed in the region, based on documents and excavated artifacts. 

Exhibition view