MATSUSHIMA GODAI-DO

Matsushima Godai-do is a Japanese Buddhist religious building located on an island in the Matsushima archipelago in the Miyagi Prefecture in Northeast Japan. It is assumed that the building was erected in the 9th century AD. The work on it was probably completed in 807. The temple is the site of the exhibition of five Buddha statues, which are only shown to the public once every 33 years! Their last presentation took place in 2006. The building, which can be admired today, was erected in 1604, but it is a faithful reconstruction of the building erected earlier. It is worth adding that the interior of the temple is decorated with twelve sculptures inspired by the Japanese lunar calendar. Matsushima Godai-do is the most recognizable object in the Matsushima archipelago, constituting their specific symbol. Interestingly, the temple, despite its highly exposed location, did not suffer any damage during the catastrophic tsunami wave of 2011.