I appear to be standing in the most sacred space within Za-dō, the main hall of Kinpusenji Temple in Yoshino, Nara Prefecture—directly in front of the awe-inspiring 7-meter-tall Kongō Zaō Daigongen. These three divine avatars are the temple’s most revered objects of worship. Normally hidden behind closed doors and only revealed to the public for a few days each year (like now!), this space is strictly off-limits to visitors—photography is completely prohibited.
But here’s the twist: I’m not actually there. I’m in a VR environment, some 380 km away from the temple itself.
Thanks to a kind invitation from Kinpusenji’s clergy, I had the privilege of experiencing this remarkable virtual recreation at Toppan’s Printing Museum in Tokyo. The exhibit is the result of five years of ultra-high-definition (14K) video documentation, brought together to create an immersive VR experience displayed on enormous LED screens (20 x 5 meters).
What I love about this project is twofold:
- It powerfully inspires you to visit the real temple—whether for the first time or, like me, to return.
- It also serves a vital archival purpose. Kinpusenji, Japan’s second-largest wooden structure (after Tōdaiji), is a National Treasure with no detailed historical documentation of its reconstruction in 1592. Now entering a new phase of restoration, the VR data has become an invaluable resource for carpenters and roofers.
Kinpusenji needs your support. Let me take you there.