"Where Japan's largest clay Kannon guards a sealed dragon"
Okadera Buddhist Temple
Asuka, Nara Prefecture, Japan
In the ancient village of Asuka, Okadera Temple shelters Japan's largest clay statue—an 8th-century Nyoirin Kannon standing 4.85 meters tall. The temple is also called Ryugai-ji, the Temple of the Sealed Dragon, for its legend of a monk who imprisoned a marauding dragon beneath a boulder that remains today. Pilgrims seeking protection from evil and disaster have come here since the Nara period.
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Quick Facts
Location
Asuka, Nara Prefecture, Japan
Coordinates
34.4636, 135.8214
Last Updated
Jan 12, 2026
Learn More
Okadera was founded in the 8th century to house the massive Nyoirin Kannon and provide protection from evil and disaster—establishing Japan's first yakuyoke sacred site.
Origin Story
The monk Gien founded the temple in the 8th century after encountering and imprisoning a dragon that terrorized Asuka Village. The massive Nyoirin Kannon statue, attributed to Kobo Daishi and created from clay of India, China, and Japan, was installed as the principal image. The temple became Japan's first sacred site dedicated to yakuyoke (warding off evil and disaster).
Key Figures
Gien
Founder monk who imprisoned the dragon and established the temple
Kobo Daishi
Attributed with creating the Kannon statue from sacred clay
Spiritual Lineage
Okadera belongs to the Buzan sect of Shingon Buddhism and serves as Temple 7 of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, Japan's oldest pilgrimage route.
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