Ikaruga, Nara in the context of "Nara Prefecture"

Hōryū-ji (Japanese: 法隆寺; lit. 'Temple of the Flourishing Dharma') is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Built shortly after Buddhism was introduced to Japan, it is also one of the oldest Buddhist sites in the country. Its full name is Hōryū Gakumonji (法隆学問寺), or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, with the complex serving as both a seminary and monastery.

The temple was founded by Prince Shōtoku in 607. According to the Nihon Shoki, in 670 all buildings were burned down by lightning. Reconstruction of the temple complex began soon after. Rebuilt at least 1,300 years ago, the Kondō (main hall) is widely recognized as the world's oldest wooden building. A tree ring survey conducted in 2001 revealed that the shinbashira of the five-story pagoda were cut down in 594, before it burned down in 670.

Nanto Shichi Daiji (南都七大寺), literally "the seven great temples of the southern capital (meaning the city of Nara)", is a historical common name generally referring to the powerful and influential seven Buddhist temples located in the Nara prefecture. There have been some changes as to which temples are included over the years, since there have been fluctuations in power. The following is a list as it stood at the early stage, all of which were originally built by imperial order:

• Daian-ji (大安寺)
• Gangō-ji (元興寺)
• Hōryū-ji (法隆寺) (located close to the border of modern Nara city, in the town of Ikaruga, Nara)
• Kōfuku-ji (興福寺)
• Saidai-ji (西大寺)
• Tōdai-ji (東大寺)
• Yakushi-ji (薬師寺)

Sometimes the temples were called "the fifteen great temples of the southern capital" too, including other prestigious temples such as Tōshōdai-ji (唐招提寺) and Hokke-ji (法華寺).

Hokki-ji or Hōki-ji (法起寺; the ‘temple of the Arising Dharma’) – formerly known as Okamoto-dera (岡本寺) and Ikejiri-dera (池後寺) – is a Buddhist temple temple in the Okamoto neighborhood of the town of Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The temple's honorary sangō prefix is "Kōhonzan" (岡本山), although it is rarely used. The temple was constructed to honor Avalokitesvara, and an 11-faced statue of the goddess is the primary object of worship in the temple. Hokki-ji is often considered to be one of the seven great temples founded by Prince Shōtoku, but in fact the temple was not completed until some decades after his death. In 1993, it was registered together with Hōryū-ji as an UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area.

Hōrin-ji (法輪寺, 法琳寺, 法林寺), or Mii-dera (三井寺, 御井寺) is a Buddhist temple located in the Mii neighborhood of the town of Ikaruga, Nara, Japan. It belongs to the Shōtoku-shū sect and its honzon is a statue of Yakushi Nyorai The temple's full name is Myōken-san Hōrin-ji (妙見山 法輪寺). It is located about a kilometer north of the East Precinct of Hōryū-ji. The existing three-story pagoda was rebuilt in 1975, so it is not included in the World Heritage Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area.

Chūgū-ji (中宮寺) is a Buddhist temple located in the town of Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It was founded as a nunnery in the seventh century by Shōtoku Taishi. Located immediately to the northeast of Hōryū-ji, its statue of Miroku and Tenjukoku mandala are National Treasures. Chūgū-ji is one of three nunneries in Yamato whose chief priestesses were imperial princesses.