Shitennō-ji Temple

thumb|240px|Shitennō-ji seen from above (center) in the middle of Ōsaka, 2025

Key facts

Religious building.name: Arahakasan Shitennō-ji
Religious building.image: Shitennoji & Abeno Harukas.jpg
Religious building.mapframe: yes
Religious building.mapframe zoom: 14
Religious building.mapframe wikidata: yes
Religious building.location: 1-1-18 Shitennō-ji
Religious building.municipality: Tennōji-ku, Osaka
Religious building.prefecture: Osaka-fu
Religious building.religious_affiliation: Wa-shū
Religious building.deity: Kannon (Avalokiteśvara)
Religious building.country: Japan
Religious building.general_contractor: Kongō Gumi

Article

8 sections

Contents

History
Description
Directions
Gallery
See also
Further reading
References
External links

thumb|240px|Shitennō-ji seen from above (center) in the middle of Ōsaka, 2025

Shitennō-ji (, Temple of the Four Heavenly Kings) is a Buddhist temple in Ōsaka, Japan. It is also known as Arahaka-ji (荒陵寺), Nanba-ji/Naniwa-daiji (難波大寺), or Mitsu-ji 御津寺. The temple is sometimes regarded as the first Buddhist and oldest officially administered temple in Japan, although the temple complex and buildings have been rebuilt over the centuries, with the last reconstruction taking place in 1963. Shortly after World War II, Shitennō-ji became independent of the parent Tendai sect and formed the Wa sect (Wa-shū, ) of Buddhism.