Shitennoji Temple, Osaka, Japan

Shitennoji Temple, built in 593 by Prince Shotoku, is the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan and the oldest official temple in Japan. It is not only a guardian of the Buddhist world, but also the birthplace of Japanese culture, such as the arts and crafts industry. The architectural style of the temple, with the central gate, five-story pagoda, main hall, and lecture hall arranged in a straight line and surrounded by a corridor, is called the "Shitennoji style," which is believed to have originated in China and the Korean Peninsula. Although the halls, pagodas, and temples have been destroyed by war and natural disasters many times, they have been rebuilt each time, so they still retain the grandeur of the Asuka period when they were first built, fully reflecting the long history of the temple and its status in the hearts of the people of Osaka. Tennoji Park is a European-style park still under construction. Adjacent to Tennoji Station, Tennoji Park, as the southern gateway to Osaka, is like Central Park in New York or Hyde Park in London, a green space in the city. With the vast Tennoji Park and Shitennoji Temple, the hustle and bustle contrasts with the tranquility. The shopping center is lined with skyscrapers and opened in the early 20th century. Tennoji Park and the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, which mainly exhibits Japanese and ancient Oriental art, are popular places for locals to visit on holidays. In Tennoji Park, northwest of Tennoji Station, there are attractions such as Tennoji Zoo, which opened in the early 20th century, and the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, which mainly exhibits Japanese and ancient Oriental art.