Pop Japan

Famous for its 13-storey pagoda, the Tanzan Shrine houses the remains of Fujiwara Kamatari. He was the founder of the powerful Fujiwara clan, who had been politically influential during the Heian Period of Japan.

The Tanzan Shrine is situated in the city of Sakurai, Nara Prefecture. Formerly known as the Tonomine Temple, the place was converted into a Shinto Shrine in the Meiji Period, when Japan was fighting for the separation of Buddhism and Shintoism.

The place is proud of its kouyou or autumn colors around November each year in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Photo by 663highland. Licensed under Creative Commons. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en)

Tags: tanzan shrine, fujiwara kamatari, heian period, sakurai, nara, tonomine temple, shinto, meiji period, buddhism, shintoism, kouyou