By KENSAKU NISHIDA/ Staff Writer
April 3, 2022 at 18:00 JST
The restored miniature shrine of the Amidado main hall of Nishi Hongwanji temple in Kyoto’s Shimogyo Ward on April 2 (Kenta Sujino)
KYOTO--After close to five years of painstaking restoration work, the interior of the impressive Amidado main hall of Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist temple here, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has regained its former glory.
The Amidado hall is designated by the central government as a national treasure.
Its miniature shrine housing an Amida Nyorai statue and the ceiling featuring lattice-shaped beams are now returned to pristine condition under the project that spanned four years and eight months.
A ceremony was held April 2 to mark the completion of the restoration work. Media representatives were given a preview of the hall’s interior the same day.
The current main hall, which measures 42 meters by 45 meters and is 25 meters tall, was rebuilt in 1760.
The renovation work involved dismantling the miniature shrine after the statue was moved to a separate location.
Craftsmen then added a new coating of lacquer and gold leaf. All 269 paintings that adorned the ceiling were taken down to remove stains and add hues to patches whose pigment had fallen off over time.
The project capped a series of restoration works of other national treasures--the Hiunkaku pavilion and the ornate Karamon gate--that have been undertaken by the temple located in the city’s Shimogyo Ward.
The projects were intended to be completed before the temple marks the 850th anniversary of the birth of its celebrated founder, Shinran, in 2023.
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