Shin-Yakushi-ji

Quick facts

Address

1352 Takabatakecho, Nara

About this place

Shin-Yakushi-ji is a Kegon-school temple in Nara. It was founded in the third month of 747 by Empress Komyo, in prayer for Emperor Shomu’s recovery from illness. In 743 Emperor Shomu had vowed that all should join their strength to cast the great Vairocana buddha, aiming at a world in which every animal and plant would flourish; but in 745, with mountain fires and earthquakes coming one after another, the work was broken off and he returned to the Nara capital. When his health then failed, a rite of repentance to Yakushi was held, and seven images of Yakushi Nyorai were ordered cast in the capital and the provinces, with seven scrolls of the Yakushi sutra to be copied. Out of this, Empress Komyo had Shin-Yakushi-ji built at the foot of Mount Kasuga and Mount Takamado.

Origin and history

Shin-Yakushi-ji was founded in the third month of 747 by Empress Komyo, in prayer for Emperor Shomu’s recovery from illness.

In 743 Emperor Shomu had vowed that all should join their strength to cast the great Vairocana buddha, aiming at a world in which every animal and plant would flourish. In 745, with mountain fires and earthquakes coming one after another, the work was broken off and he returned to the Nara capital. When his health then failed, a rite of repentance to Yakushi was held.

Seven images of Yakushi Nyorai were ordered cast in the capital and the provinces, and seven scrolls of the Yakushi sutra copied. Out of this, Empress Komyo had Shin-Yakushi-ji built at the foot of Mount Kasuga and Mount Takamado.

In the fourth month of 752 the eye-opening ceremony of the great buddha was held at Todai-ji.

What it is locally associated with

• OriginHealth & Healing

  In prayer for Emperor Shomu’s recovery

  Founded in the third month of 747 by Empress Komyo, in prayer for Emperor Shomu’s recovery from illness.

  documented history

• Origin

  A broken-off great buddha, and a rite for Yakushi

  Mountain fires and earthquakes broke off the casting of the great buddha in 745; when the emperor’s health failed, a rite of repentance to Yakushi was held and seven Yakushi images were ordered cast.

  documented history

• What people do here

  At the foot of Mount Kasuga

  Empress Komyo had the temple built at the foot of Mount Kasuga and Mount Takamado.

  documented history

This temple was built by a wife for her husband. Founded in prayer for Emperor Shomu’s recovery from illness, by Empress Komyo — the first line of the account is the whole reason the place exists.

Yakushi-ji, also in Nara, runs the other way. It was founded by Emperor Tenmu in prayer for the recovery of his empress. Here an empress prays for an emperor. The same prayer, with the two people exchanged. Mizuma-dera in Osaka was likewise built after Emperor Shomu fell ill at forty-two and a dream oracle followed. Three temples on this list begin with an illness in the imperial house.

Behind it stands an unfinished buddha. In 743 Emperor Shomu vowed to cast the great Vairocana; in 745 mountain fires and earthquakes broke off the work and he returned to the capital. Then his health failed, a rite of repentance to Yakushi was held, and seven images of Yakushi were ordered cast across the provinces. This temple was built in the middle of that sequence. The eye-opening of the great buddha took place at Todai-ji five years later, in 752.

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Sources

1. 新薬師寺とは — Shin-Yakushi-ji (accessed 2026-08-15)
2. 十二の願い — Shin-Yakushi-ji (accessed 2026-08-15)