Nara City Tourism Association

The temple was founded by Empress Komyo in 731. When Genbo, a Japanese envoy to the Tang Dynasty, encountered a storm in the East China Sea while returning home, he recited the "Kairyuo Sutra" with all his heart, narrowly escaping death and safely returning. This experience led to the temple being named Kairyuoji, after the sutra. Genbo, the first chief priest, established Kairyuoji as the Heijo Palace Dojo, a private temple for the imperial family. The five-story pagoda (a national treasure) and the Western Golden Hall (an important cultural property) still stand from the time of the temple's founding. The main hall houses the Eleven-Headed Kannon Standing Statue (an important cultural property) and the Standing Statue of Manjusri Bodhisattva (an important cultural property), which were erected during the Kamakura period.