Byodo-in

Byodo-in's Phoenix Hall has become so iconic that it graces both the 10-yen coin and the 10,000-yen banknote, yet seeing it in person reveals why the image endures. The hall appears to float above its reflecting pond, its symmetrical wings suggesting a bird alighting on water, an architectural vision of the Pure Land paradise that Heian-period aristocrats hoped to reach after death. A Fujiwara nobleman built the original villa here in 998, and it was converted to a temple in 1052. The Phoenix Hall, or Hoodo, houses an exquisite gilded statue of Amida Buddha by the master sculptor Jocho, one of the finest surviving examples of Heian Buddhist art. Celestial figures carved in wood float on the walls around the central figure. The on-site Hoshokan Museum displays the original bronze phoenix roof ornaments and temple bells, designated national treasures. The surrounding town of Uji has been famous for premium matcha since the twelfth century, and tea shops line the approach to the temple.