Seiryo-ji, Saga Shaka-do In Kyoto
About the Seiryo-ji Camera
Seiryo-ji stands in Saga, at the northern edge of Arashiyama, and is commonly called the Saga Shaka-do after the image it houses. The stream is run by the Kyoto City Tourism Association, so it is an official view of the temple grounds.
The temple's principal image is unusual enough to have changed what historians know about Buddhist sculpture. It was brought from China in 987 and is held to copy a likeness of the Buddha made during his lifetime. When it was examined in 1954, a set of silk organs was found sewn inside the hollow body, the oldest known object of its kind.
The grounds are broad and generally far calmer than the Arashiyama bamboo grove and Togetsukyo a short walk south. The temple is also associated with the Tale of Genji, since the site was once the villa of Minamoto no Toru, and it holds a fire-lighting festival each March.
Highlights & Nearby
- •Watch for: the broad temple grounds, worshippers, autumn colour, a quiet corner of Arashiyama
- •Nearby: Arashiyama bamboo grove, Togetsukyo bridge, Nison-in, Daikaku-ji
- •Note: an official stream run by the Kyoto City Tourism Association
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Seiryo-ji camera live?
Yes. It streams the temple grounds continuously.
Why is it called the Saga Shaka-do?
After the image of Shaka, the historical Buddha, that it enshrines, in the Saga district of Kyoto.
What is notable about the main image?
It was brought from China in 987 and is held to copy a likeness made in the Buddha's lifetime. In 1954 a set of silk internal organs was found inside its hollow body, the oldest known example of such an object.
Is it near the Arashiyama bamboo grove?
Yes, a short walk north of it, and it is usually far quieter than the grove or the Togetsukyo bridge.
