Japanese temples
Zen meditation halls
Japanese temples are Buddhist religious sites in Japan, distinct from Shinto shrines.
They typically feature characteristic architecture including pagodas, main halls, and entrance gates, serving as places of worship, meditation, and cultural heritage.
Many are popular tourist destinations: We visited several Japanese temples in Kyoto.
The Japanese word is *tera* or *ji*.
- pagodaTiered Asian temple tower
- meditationFocused attention practice
- sacred groundsSpiritually venerated location
- koi pondsDecorative basins for carp
- purification ritualsRites removing spiritual impurity
gold leaf · calligraphy · bell tower · tea ceremony · stone lanterns · pilgrimage · zen garden · shoji screens · sliding doors · Buddhist statues · incense offering · tatami mats · cherry blossoms · forest paths · wooden gate · bamboo groves · prayer beads · lotus flowers
- Ethnic CongregationsItalian churches, Black churches, Irish Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox
Japanese templesChristian churches
Houses of worship
Catholic cathedrals · mosques · synagogues · Hindu temples · megachurches
Japanese templescasinos
Wagering establishments
nightclubs · red-light districts · shopping malls · office buildings · factories
Japanese templesEuropean cathedrals
Grand historic churches abroad
Gothic churches · Notre-Dame · St. Peter's Basilica · Westminster Abbey · medieval churches