Historic Monuments and Sites of Hiraizumi
Historic Monuments and Sites of Hiraizumi is the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.[1]
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
| Location | Hiraizumi, Nishiiwai District, Iwate Prefecture, Japan |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (vi) |
| Reference | 1277rev |
| Inscription | 2011 (35th Session) |
| Area | 176.2 ha (435 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 6,008 ha (14,850 acres) |
| Coordinates | 39°0′4″N 141°6′28″E / 39.00111°N 141.10778°E |
  Location of Historic Monuments and Sites of Hiraizumi in Japan | |
The site covers 5 locations. Four of these places are Buddhist temples. The sacred Mount Kinkeisan is also included in the group The properties and their buffer zones are covered by a range of Japanese government protections as historic sites and places of scenic beauty.[1]
History
Hiraizumi was an important political, military, commercial, and cultural centre from the late-11th century until the late 12th-century. This time was marked by the building and endowment of Buddhist temples, art and gardens.[2]
Pure Land Buddhism developed a concept of planning and garden design that was unique to Japan.[1]
The four Pure Land gardens of Hiraizumi show the ideals of Pure Land Buddhism. The gardens also show Japanese concepts about the relationship between gardens, water and the surrounding landscape.[1]
The four gardens were developed by the Ōshū Fujiwara clan. The poet Matsuo Bashō was inspired by this Fujiwara legacy.[3] In 1689, Bashō wrote: "Three generations of glory vanished in the space of a dream ...."[4]
In 2011, UNESCO listed parts of Hiraizumi as a World Heritage Site.[1]
Locations
| Name | Image | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chūson-ji (中尊寺) |  | Hiraizumi | cultural site |
| Mōtsū-ji (毛越寺) |  | Hiraizumi | cultural site |
| Kanjizaiō-in (観自在王院跡) |  | Hiraizumi | cultural site |
| Muryōkō-in (無量光院跡) |  | Hiraizumi | cultural site |
| Mount Kinkeisan (金鶏山, Kinkeizan) |  | Hiraizumi | natural site |
Related pages
References
Other websites
Media related to Hiraizumi, Iwate at Wikimedia Commons
- Hiraizumi City, Hiraizumi - World Heritage (in Japanese)
- Iwate Prefecture, http://www.pref.iwate.jp/~hp0907/sekaiisan/index.html Archived 2012-12-19 at Archive.today
- http://www.chusonji.or.jp/en/index.html Archived 2013-12-21 at the Wayback Machine
- http://www.motsuji.or.jp/english/index.php Archived 2010-09-14 at the Wayback Machine
