The Horyuji Temple in Nara is one of Japans most important temples.

It was
founded in 607 by Orunje Shotoku, who is considered to be the patron saint of
Japanese Buddhism.
The Temple is the oldest wooden structure in the world still standing .
The sprawling grounds of the temple complex (over 1km wide) include no less
than 20 gates and buildings designated as National Treasures or Important
Cultural Properties. The temple complex is divided into two parts, Sai-in Garan
(West Precinct) and To-in Garan (East Precinct).
The Sai-in Garan contains the Kondo (Main Hall), Goju no To (Five Story
Pagoda) and Chumon (Central Gate). These date from the 7th century and are
some of the oldest surviving wooden structures in the world.
The To-in Garan contains the Yumedono (The Hall of Dreams).
By itself, the main complex of Horyu-ji is a perfect example of the temple
planning of the Asuka period. It incorporates much of Chinese planning and
construction techniques, and the location placed it out in the plains away from the
hussle and bussle of the city center of Nara.
The Temple is made up of a Kodo (Lecture Hall) wich is considered to be the
oldest wooden building in the world , a Pagoda (Goju no To Pagoda, a
Kondo(main hall of the temple) and Chumon (Central Gate ) that marks the entry
into the inner sanctum of the temple complex.
The Kodo, or Lecture Hall, aligns through the center with the Chumon, the
Middle Gate along the main central axis, but the pagoda and the Kondo, or
Buddha Hall, are symmetrically offset to the side. This is the only time the plan of
the complex differs from the typical Chinese monastery plan, because usually all
of the buildings are aligned symmetrically, the main gate, a pagoda, the main
hall, and the lecture hall on a straight line.
It is believed that the reason for offsetting the plans of the Kondo and pagoda
was to allow the viewer to see both simultaneously, rather than as a sequence of
buildings and because the proportions of the two buildings of varying heights and
widths.

The Kondo, Main Hall of Horyuji was completed in 680

and was influenced by Chinese culture of the 6th
century. The hall is believed to be the oldest wooden
building in the world, and contains priceless statues and
national treasures.
KODO
KONDO

PAGODA
CHUMON
DAIKODO (MAIN LECTURE HALL)

The main hall of To-in Garan (East Precinct) is the

Yumedono, Hall of Dreams. The building is an elegant
octagonal shape and was built in 739. The Yumedono
was built on the ground where Prince Shotoku once had
his private palace. The hall acquired its name of the Hall
of Dreams from a legend, which says a Buddha arrived
as Prince Shotoku meditated in a hall here.
The current temple is made up of two areas, the Sai-in () in the west and the
T-in () in the east. The western part of the temple contains the Kond (,
sanctuary Hall) and the temple's five-story pagoda. The T-in area holds the
octagonal Yumedono Hall (, Hall of Dreams) and sits 122 meters east of the
Sai-in area. The complex also contains monk's quarters, lecture halls, libraries,
and dining halls.

During the Nara period, lasting from about 710 to 784 AD,
new temples were constructed in the city rather than out in
the rural areas out in the plains as they had during the
Asuka period so that the temples patrons could be closer
and therefore supply the temples with funding.