2026-07-23
Home to Unkei's Buddhist masterpieces for over 800 years 【Jorakuji Temple】
Jorakuji Temple was founded in 1189, by the samurai lord Yoshimori Wada and his wife.
It stands quietly among the gentle hills of the Miura Peninsula, offering visitors a peaceful atmosphere far removed from the busy city and naval port areas of Yokosuka.
Jorakuji is famous for having 5 Buddhist statues created by Buddhist Sculpture, “Unkei,” who is often regarded as one of Japan’s greatest Buddhist sculptors, comparable in importance to Michelangelo in Western history.
The five Buddhist statues are designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and they are the very few surviving works attributed to Unkei. Seeing several original Unkei sculptures together in the place where they have been worshipped for centuries is an exceptionally rare experience...
