Taimadera monastery [nunnery?], (in) Katsuragi, Nara Prefecture, JP

Raw data

“Taima-dera (當麻寺) is a Buddhist temple in Nara, Japan built originally in 612 by the Imperial Prince Maroko, the brother of Prince Shotoku. The temple was moved to its present location in 681 by the grandson of Prince Maroko, and serves as the head temple, or honzan (本山) of the now-defunct Hosso sect. The temple’s main object of veneration is the Yakushi, but the most popular attraction is the Taima Mandala, a graphical representation of the Pure Land, and pilgrimage site for Pure Land Buddhists.”

-“Taima-dera” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taima-dera

Input by: Lizbeth H. Piel, July 09, 2012

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 19 Jul 2014

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Taimadera monastery, JP.

General location of the Taimadera monastery, JP.
lat=34.516078 long=135.694638
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2012.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.516078+135.694638+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Taimadera%20monastery,%20JP)&ll=34.516078,135.694638&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name

  • Taimadera 当麻寺/當麻寺. Alternative English spelling: Taima-dera

2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • Japan: Nara Prefecture

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names


4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates


5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries


6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village

  • Kita-Katsuragi-gun (district), Taima-chô (township), Taima

7. The settlement's alternative/historical names

  • [missing data]

8. The settlement's coordinates


9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition

  • Mahayana

10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition


11. Date-early

MBM chrono-tag 0667-99c - tmciolek 19 Jul 2014
0667-99c 0700-32c 0733-66c 0767-99c 0800-32c 0833-66c 0867-99c 0900-32c 0933-66c 0967-99c 1000-32c 1033-66c 1067-99c 1100-32c 1133-66c 1167-99c 1200=> dated-el


12. Date-intermediate


13. Date-late

MBM chrono-tag 1200=> - tmciolek 19 Jul 2014


14. Details of contacts with other monasteries


15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • Documents, architecture

16. Additional notes

  • Before it was moved to Nara by Taima no Kunimi, Taimadera was a cloister called Manbôzô’in in Kawara (Osaka) -Uryû (2003: 235)
  • Shingon founder Kukai worshipped at Taimadera in 823. http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/當麻寺
  • According to the Legend of Princess Chûjô, Taimadera was prohibited to women until a Fujiwara princess Chûjôhime was admitted as a nun in 763. - http://www.taimadera.org/history/p2.html

17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

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