The Glocal Book:"The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzou(Tenshin)-No.56

The Durability of Japanese Wooden Architecture

「In the Golden Hall of Horiuji and the Pagoda of Yakushiji, we have noteworthy examples of the durability of our wooden architecture.

These buildings have practically stood intact for nealy twelve centuries.
The interior of the old temples and palaces was profisely decorated.

In the Hoodo temple at Uji, dating from the tenth century, we can still see the elaborate canopy and gilded baldachinos, many-coloured and inlaid with mirrors and mother-of-pearl, as well as remains of the paintings and sculpture which formerly covered the walls, at Nikko and in the Nijo castle in Kyoto, we see structural beauty sacrificed to a wealth of ornamentation which in colour and exquisite detail equals the utmost gorgeousness of Arabian or Moorish effort.」
(From the Book of Tea-The Tea-Room, pp.57-58, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont, Tokyo, Japan)

You are still able to visit and look at The old temple of Horiuji and the Pagoda of Yakushiji .

The facts mean they are durable for almost 1300 years.

Yet, you'll find much more older building in Egypt and Greek.
These Japanese old Temples are completely different from the history of Tea-Room.

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