Yakushi-ji is one of the great temples of Nara, the capital of Japan in the eighth century. It was founded by Emperor Tenmu in the late seventh century, praying for the recovery of his ill empress, and moved to its present site when the capital moved to Nara in 710. Dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of healing, it is part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara. The East Pagoda, which has stood since the eighth century, is one of the few surviving buildings from that era, and its layered roofs, with smaller roofs between each storey, create a rhythm described by one admirer as frozen music.
Most of the other buildings, including the bright red West Pagoda and the main hall, were rebuilt in the late twentieth century after centuries of fires and decay. Their colours may surprise visitors used to weathered wood, but they show how the temples looked when they were new. The main hall holds a bronze Yakushi triad, considered among the masterpieces of Japanese Buddhist sculpture.
Yakushi-ji is in the Nishinokyo area, south-west of central Nara, near Toshodai-ji, another important temple founded by the Chinese monk Ganjin. The two can be visited together on foot. The area is calm and residential, with rice fields and small streets.
For riders, Japan is orderly but strict. You drive on the left, speed limits are low, and the police enforce them. Fuel stations are everywhere, though many close at night in rural areas. Temples usually have parking. The ride from Nara toward Horyu-ji, a short distance south-west, takes you to the oldest wooden buildings in the world, and the hills to the east and south lead toward Asuka and the mountains of Yoshino, famous for cherry blossoms. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, when the weather is mild and the colours spectacular.