Hōryū-ji is considered the cradle of Japanese Buddhism, the temple is closely linked to the introduction of Buddhism in Japan. Along with the new belief also a different architectural style was introduced. Buddhist temples usually have a strictly symmetrical layout with a gate and the main hall in the central axis, surrounded by a wall. Shinto Architecture, on the other hand, aims to blend in perfectly with nature. And Hōryū-ji is home of the oldest wooden structures in the world. No doubt about its historical significance and reasons enough to inscribe Hōryū-ji as one of the first Japanese world heritage sites in 1993. However, Hōryū-ji receives far less attention from visitors than its famous neighbours Kyoto and Nara.

I visited Hōryū-ji as a half-day trip from Nara. The JR train only takes eleven minutes to Hōryū-ji station, and after a 20-minute walk I arrived at the entrance to the Western Precinct, where the main buildings are located. I was the first visitor at 8.15 am and only had to share the inner temple with the staff who swept the pavements (photo). The most important and most impressive buildings are the main hall or Kondō and the five-story pagoda. The sources are contradictory as to which of the two is older. A Japanese cypress supplied the wood for the central pillar of the pagoda. It has been determined by dendrology that this cypress was felled in 594. Thus, the pagoda seems to be the winner of the title "oldest among all the old buildings" at Hōryū-ji. Well, it's more of an academic question.
In any case, I really enjoyed having the temple almost to myself, strolling around and studying all the details of the architecture, most notably the carved dragons. And half an hour later, when about 50 primary school pupils and their teachers arrived, I was more than happy that I started early in the morning. But it was only the first school class of more than a dozen I encountered that morning. Hōryū-ji is obviously more appreciated by the Japanese than by tourists.
I skipped the Daihōzōin (Treasure Gallery) because I felt I had seen enough Buddhist statues before and went to the Eastern Precinct. The Hall of Dreams (Yumedono) is the most important building there, but I must admit that I didn’t really find this part outstanding. Maybe it was just because I had visited so many magnificent temples in the days before, but in my opinion, only the western part can compete with the sites in Kyoto and Nara.

I also visited Hokki-ji, it is only a 20-minute walk from Hōryū-ji. You can see the top of the three-story pagoda from afar. The pagoda is also the only building from the 8th century that has survived, and the reason why Hokki-ji was included in the WHS. However, there is not much else to see. But the nice walk to the Yamato-Koizumi Station through rice fields and the outskirts of the modern city of Ikaruga was worth the detour.

Hōryū-ji is definitely worth a visit. If you focus on the highlights in the Western Precinct, the trip from Nara and back takes not much more than two hours.