Byodo-in in Uji, Kyoto, Japan

The most famous building in Byōdō-in temple is the Phenix Hall 

[Japanese: 鳳凰堂; Hōō-dō) surrounded by a pond.
The Phenix Hall is also called the Amida Hall. [Japanese: 阿弥陀堂]

Information & History of Byodo-in

Byōdō-in [Japanese: 平等院] is located in Uji city in Kyoto, Japan.
Byōdō-in is a temple which is on Japanese ten yen coin.
The building with Buddhist images in Byōdō-in was constructed about 1000 years ago.
Byōdō-in has been listed as a World Heritage Site since 1994.
Byōdō-in was originally the villa owned by Minamoto no Tōru [Japanese: 源融] a son of Emperor Saga [Japanese: 嵯峨天皇].
It's said he was the model for Hikaru Genji [Japanese: 光源氏] in The Tale of Genji [Japanese: 源氏物語].
Then this villa was taken over by Emperor Uda [Japanese: 宇多天皇], and then Minamoto no Shigenobu [Japanese: 源重信], a grandson of Emperor Uda, took over it.
Fujiwara no Michinaga [Japanese: 藤原道長] inherited it from Minamoto no Shigenobu's wife.
Fujiwara no Yorimichi [Japanese: 藤原頼道], eldest son of Fujiwara no Michinaga transformed the villa to a Buddhist temple called Byōdō-in in 1052.

The garden in Byōdō-in is "Jōdo garden"(=Pure Land garden) [Japanese: 浄土式庭園] used during Heian [Japanese: 平安] to Kamakura [Japanese: 鎌倉] period.

National Treasures of Byodo-in are ...
* Phoenix Hall (central building, two wing corridors, and tail corridor): four structures  [Japanese: 鳳凰堂（中堂・両翼廊・尾廊）4棟]
* Seated Statue of Amitabha Tathagata  [Japanese: 阿弥陀如来坐像]
* 52 wooden Worshiping Bodhisattvas on Clouds  [木造雲中供養菩薩像　52躯]
* Wooden canopy  [Japanese: 木造天蓋]
* Duo of Phoenixes  [Japanese: 鳳凰1対]
* Temple bell  [Japanese: 梵鐘]
* 14 paintings on wooden doors  [Japanese: 壁扉画14面]



Information
Venerated Amida Nyorai (Amitābha)  [本尊：阿弥陀如来]
Founded in 1052 [永承７年]
Founder: Fujiwara no Yorimichi  [開基：藤原頼道]
Founding priest: Myōson  [開山：明尊]

Open throughout the year (including holidays)
Byodoin Garden 8:30-17:30, Interior of Phenix Hall 9:30-16:10

Address
116 Ujirenge, Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
京都府宇治市宇治蓮華116

Access
Get off at Uji station [宇治駅] of JR Nara Line [JR奈良線] and walk 10 minutes east.

Get off at Keihan Uji station [京阪宇治駅] of Keihan Uji Line [京阪電鉄宇治線] and walk 10 minutes.



Other UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kyoto

* Kinkaku-ji