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KOFUKUJI - JAPAN
Kofukuji is the head temple of the Hosso sect. It traces its origin to the Yamashina quarter of Kyoto. That temple was moved first to Fujiwara, and then to the permanent capital at Nara at the beginning of the Nara period in 710. Kofukuji, along with several other Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and the remains of the Heijo Palace, received the distinction of being named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kofukuji used to be the family temple of the Fujiwara, the most powerful family clan during much of the Nara and Heian Periods. The temple was established in Nara at the same time as the capital in 710. At the height of Fujiwara power, the temple consisted of over 150 buildings. Today, a couple of buildings of great historic value including a three and a five storied pagoda remain. The five storied pagoda is one of Japan's tallest and the symbol of Nara.
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