Yakushiji Temple is laid out symmetrically in a style originating in China. The complex is entered through the South Gate. The most sacred area housing the main hall, or Kondo, is enclosed by a roofed corridor. Access to this compound is through a middle gate which gives a perfectly framed view of the Kondo.
Although not original, the hall is a faithful reconstruction. Within the hall is a prized Yakushi Triad, a set of three sculptures, commissioned for the temple at its founding in 680 by Emperor Tenmu, to pray for the recovery of his ailing consort.
The main Buddha worshipped at Yakushiji and the central figure in the triad is Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of healing. Unlike other examples which depict this Buddha seated on a lotus pedestal with medicine pot in hand, the one at Yakushiji shows the Buddha empty-handed upon a large chest. Of particular interest are the designs in relief on the chest, which include a dragon, phoenix, lotus flowers, Hindu figures and grapevines. The motifs draw on the many different cultures along the Silk Road and attest to the international nature of the era. Originally gilded, fires and the weathering of time have left the Buddha and his two attendants with their current black sheen. Also within the main compound are two pagodas. They stand to the left and right of the Kondo. The East Pagoda, on the right as you pass through the Middle Gate, dates to the 8th century.