The Nihon Shoki, an ancient Japanese history book written in the Nara period (710-794), describes Japan's first Tenran-zumo. The two men who fought in this battle were Taima no Kehaya from Taima Village (modern-day Katsuragi City) and Nomi no Sukune from Izumo Province (modern-day Shimane Prefecture). It is said that this intense wrestling match cost Taima no Kehaya his life.

The Kehayaza Sumo Museum is dedicated to collecting and exhibiting materials on sumo and preserving the legacy of the founder of sumo, Taima no Kehaya, who is the pride of Katsuragi City. Sumo museums are a rarity, and this location is beloved by fans of the sport.

On the first floor of the museum is a recreation of a sumo wrestling ring, the same size as an official one. Anyone can step right into the ring with their shoes on. Staring at the seats around you and on the second floor, you'll get a feel for what it's like for real wrestlers to stand in the ring in front of a crowd of spectators. Visitors can take a commemorative photo in a sumo wrestler costume, which are available for rent at the museum.

Don’t miss the captivating Sumo Jinku musical performances. Sumo Jinku is a traditional type of sumo song, often performed by the wrestlers themselves during their tours. The Kehaya Sumo Jinku Kai Association gives public performances on the first Sunday and second Thursday of each month from 2 PM, and visitors are welcome to watch. Their powerful singing voices, resonating through their bodies, and the entrancing rhythm of the five-seven-five syllable song patterns are sure to mesmerize you.

On the second floor of the museum, valuable sumo-related materials, mostly donated by sumo fans from all over Japan, are on display. The collection boasts some 12,000 items. Learn about the items on display and the history of sumo using guide tablets available in English, French, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean.

Katsuragi City, where cultural exchange has flourished since the Jomon period, has many legends. But one of the most important to know when touring the city is the legend of Princess Chujo.

Princess Chujo is said to have been born in the year 747, during the Nara period, as the daughter of a nobleman, Toyonari Fujiwara. She lost her mother when she was very young, and her stepmother treated her cruelly, even threatening her life. With the help of a samurai, the princess hid away in seclusion, but one day, she accidentally reunited with her father while he was out hunting.

Her stepmother's cruelty and her other sufferings left Princess Chujo reflecting on the impermanence of this world. She visited Taimadera Temple, a rare and sacred Buddhist temple, to practice Buddhism in tranquility. As soon as he knocked on the gate, she was ordained.

Eventually, she came to wish to see Amida Nyorai (the Buddha of Limitless Light) while she was still living. An old nun told her that she must collect lotus stems, and with the help of a beautiful woman, Chujo wove the magnificent Taima Mandala in a single night from the lotus threads she had collected. She learned later that these two women were actually important Buddhist figures in disguise. The old nun was Amida and the beautiful woman was the bodhisattva Kannon. Twelve years after the completion of the mandala, Princess Chujo was welcomed by Amida Nyorai and the 25 Bodhisattvas and departed for the Pure Land of Paradise.

The legend of Princess Chujo, who lived a pious life and was guided to the Pure Land, is still told today. Places associated with Princess Chujo are carefully protected in Katsuragi City.

Taimadera Temple, founded in the Asuka Period (593-710), is closely associated with Princess Chujo. It is said that she came here and wove the Taima Mandala.

Taimadera is composed of numerous independent sub-temples called "tatchu," making it unique in Japan as it hosts both Jodo (Pure Land) and Shingon (Esoteric) sect temples within the same grounds.

Taimadera Temple and its sub-temples are home to eight National Treasures, some of which are buildings, as well as 31 Important Cultural Properties, including Japan's oldest stone lanterns and temple bells. No other temple has such a collection of cultural assets in one place.

The Taimadera Main Hall, a National Treasure built in the Heian period (794-1185), houses the Taima Mandala as its principal object of worship. The Taima Mandala enshrined here is a copy in the same dimensions as the one said to have been woven by Princess Chujo during the Nara period. Completed in 1505, it is called the Bunki Hon Taima Mandala and is designated as an Important Cultural Property.

With its 3.75 meters in length and 3.83 meters in width, it is an impressive sight to behold. Even in the darkened interior of the Main Hall, the solemn beauty of the mandala can be felt. Spend time contemplating your inner self as you face the Amida Buddha depicted in the center of the mandala.

The dais on which the mandala is enshrined is thought to have been made in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), and the portable shrine used to display the mandala was made during the Nara period. These pieces are also designated as National Treasures.

The Kondou Hall, designated as an Important Cultural Property, was originally the Main Hall of Taimadera Temple when it was built in the Asuka period. The towering six-foot Miroku Bosatsu sculpture, a National Treasure housed inside the Kondou Hall, is the oldest clay statue in Japan, and has made its mark on the history of Buddhist sculpture.

Watching over the Miroku Bosatsu are the Statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, three of which were created in the Asuka period. The plump and cheerful faces are characteristic of Buddhist statues of the time.

Koudou Hall, which was rebuilt in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), is also designated as an Important Cultural Property. The hall also houses a seated statue of Amida Nyorai from the Heian period (794-1185), also designated as an Important Cultural Property, along with various other important works of art. The admission fee (for the Main Hall, Kondou Hall, and Koudou Hall together) is 500 yen.

Next, we will guide you through each sub-temple within the grounds.

The Taimadera Gonenin is the temple where Princess Chujo, who became a nun, spent her days. The temple is the main organizer of the Taimadera Neri Kuyo Eshiki, a ceremony held annually on April 14. The Neri Kuyo is an outdoor ritual that reenacts how Princess Chujo was guided by the 25 Bodhisattvas to the heavens and it is designated as a National Important Intangible Folk-Cultural Property as "Taimadera Neri Kuyo."

At the temple, you can find books about Princess Chujo written by Shiho Kuzumoto. If you e-mail her in advance, you can listen to a special lecture in English about Princess Chujo and the Neri Kuyo Eshiki ceremony. For more information, please contact her at shihokuzumoto(at)gmail.com .

If you order in advance, you can try Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, or shojin ryori. Vegetarians will love these meat-free dishes using ingredients like tofu, fresh sliced konjac, namasu (radish and carrot salad), and so on. Lunch with a view of the garden created in the early Edo period (1603-1868) is a blissful experience. Some of the other buildings on Taimadera Temple grounds also offer various types of shojin ryori.

The Taimadera Nakanobo is the temple where Princess Chujo shaved her hair when she was ordained. The oldest razor in Japan is on permanent display.

At Nakanobo, visitors can take part in an experience that follows the teachings of Princess Chujo. In the serene Shabutsu Dojo, adorned with vivid ceiling paintings, guests can try sutra copying (shakyo) and Buddhist painting (shabutsu). With each careful brushstroke, follow in the footsteps of Princess Chujo, who was an avid sutra writer.

Behind the Main Hall lies the Taimadera Okuin Temple, home to the beautiful Pure Land Garden. This tranquil space, filled with lush greenery and lined with stones symbolizing Buddha—including a statue of Amida Nyorai—centers around a treasure pond that reflects the image of Buddha like a mirror. It's easy to imagine that the Pure Land that Princess Chujo ascended to was like this garden—a world where vibrant nature and the Buddha become one. Enjoy a peaceful stroll and feel the gentle breeze flowing down from Mt. Nijo.

The Treasure Hall holds the Taima Mandala created in 1679, as well as the Chujohime Eiden, a representation of the life of Princess Chujo.

The Taimadera Seinanin is known for its seasonal natural landscape and gardens. No matter what time of the year you visit, you can enjoy stunning scenery, like peonies and rhododendrons in the spring, lotuses in the summer, and autumn leaves in the fall.

From the gazebo in the temple, you can see the west pagoda and east pagoda. The Taimadera Temple is the only place housing two pagodas (in the twin-pagoda style) from the Nara period and Heian period, when monks were training.

(*Special permission was obtained to photograph with the cooperation of Katsuragi City and each temple. Normally, photographing cultural properties is prohibited.)

Sekkoji Temple, located within walking distance from Taimadera Temple, is another location that appears in the legend of Princess Chujo. It is said that Princess Chujo collected lotus stems to make lotus threads for weaving the Taima Mandala, and when she soaked them in the well inside Sekkoji Temple, the threads were dyed five different colors. Woven with bright lotus threads, the original Taima Mandala must have radiated unimaginable brilliance when it was first woven. From this legend, Sekkoji Temple is also called "Somedera" meaning literally "dye temple."

At Sekkoji Temple, you can get a rare goshuin stamp with an image of Princess Chujo on it. Every time you look in your goshuin stamp book, you'll feel the miraculousness of Princess Chujo's tale.

Located in front of Taimadera Station, the closest station to Taimadera Temple, Chujodo Main Store is a Japanese confectionery store with a coffee shop space, providing a place for temple visitors and local residents to relax.

The Chujo Mochi served here is a rice cake with azuki red bean paste named after Princess Chujo. This elegant dish consists of a mugwort rice cake topped with a sweet bean paste resembling peony petals, and is characterized by the rich flavor and the texture of the paste, a mixture of mashed and strained red beans. As they are sometimes sold out by mid-morning on the holidays, we recommend getting one early.

Kamameshi Tamaya, located in front of the Taimadera Temple gate, is a kamameshi (mixed rice dish served in an iron pot) restaurant renovated from an inn thought to be over 170 years old. It is also a Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property. The freshly cooked rice, made from Nara Prefecture rice (Hinohikari brand), is fresh and exquisite, with a distinctive grain! The iron pot contains three bowls worth of rice. Try this way of savoring the dish: Eat the first bowl of rice as-is, the second with a boiled egg on top, and finally pour some broth and green onions over the rice to make chazuke, a traditional Japanese dish.

Katsuragi City in Nara Prefecture has been visited by people since the Jomon Period and is associated with Taima no Kehaya, who is said to have held Japan's first sumo tournament for the Emperor, called Tenran Sumo. The city is home to so many National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, including Taimadera Temple, that no matter where you visit, you're sure to encounter fascinating history firsthand. It is about an hour away from Osaka by car or train. On your next trip, enjoy exploring this important center of Japanese history while reflecting on a bygone era.