平等院
The Byodoin Temple in the city of Uji near Kyoto adorns the reverse of the Japanese 10 yen coin and is best known for its distinctive “phoenix hall”. The original building was built in 998 as a nobleman's villa and later by a member of the then Influential Fujiwara clans acquired and converted into a temple. Over the centuries the temple complex has been expanded and expanded, among other things, by the phoenix hall, inside of which there is an Amida Buddha statue and which thus forms the heart of the temple complex. Even if its official name is Amida Hall because of this statue, it is mainly referred to as the Phoenix Hall because of the representations of the Chinese firebird on the roof. The Byodo-in Temple has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994 and is a popular tourist destination because of its special architecture and the surrounding garden. Visitors can also admire the interior of the hall on a guided tour.