Byodo-in

The temple etched into the back of every ¥10 coin has more national treasures than any temple in Kyoto. Byodo-in’s Phoenix Hall is a piece of ostentation that has survived intact since 1053. It is thought to be an embodiment of paradise, with a lake marking the boundary between Heaven (the temple) and Earth. The resident of the hall, a 3m-high Amida Buddha, was carved by the era’s most renowned sculptor, Jocho, who also worked on the 52 floating deities in the museum.