Hotels near Yakushi-ji

Yakushi-ji was founded in 680 by Emperor Tenmu as a prayer for his consort's recovery and moved to its present site in 718. The East Pagoda is the only original structure still standing, raised in 730, and its alternating full and half roofs create a visual rhythm that a nineteenth-century American scholar is said to have described as frozen music. It emerged in 2020 from a complete dismantling and repair programme that ran for twelve years.

The West Pagoda facing it is a 1981 reconstruction, painted in the vermilion and green the eighth-century originals would have carried, which makes the pair a useful before-and-after lesson in what age does to timber. The bronze Yakushi Triad in the Golden Hall dates to the late seventh or early eighth century and is a National Treasure. Entry is 1,100 yen, open 8:30am to 5pm with last admission at 4:30pm. Yakushi-ji is one of the eight components of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara inscribed by UNESCO in 1998.

Pro Tip: Yakushi-ji and Toshodai-ji sit ten minutes apart on foot, so do them in one trip and do them in that order. Start at Yakushi-ji for the 8:30am opening, walk north afterwards, and you will reach Toshodai-ji before the tour buses get there around 11am.