Shimotsuke Yakushi-ji
| Shimotsuke Yakushi-ji | |
|---|---|
下野薬師寺 | |
restored cloister wall of Shimotsuke Yakushi-ji | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhist |
| Deity | Yakushi Nyorai |
| Status | ruins |
| Location | |
| Location | Shimotsuke-shi, Tochigi-ken |
| Country | Japan |
| Geographic coordinates | 36°24′07.04″N 139°52′33.94″E / 36.4019556°N 139.8760944°E |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Emperor Shomu |
| Completed | c.687 AD |
Shimotsuke Yakushi-ji (下野薬師寺) was a Buddhist temple located in what is now the city of Shimotsuke, Tochigi Prefecture, in northern Kantō region of Japan. It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples in western Japan, having been founded in the Asuka period. The temple is now a ruin and an archaeological site and has been designated by the national government as a National Historic Site since 1921.