Sutra Storehouse
Although originally built to store sutras (Buddhist scriptures), this building now contains, among other artifacts, a seated statue of Kanroku Sojo, a seventh-century priest who is said to have come to Japan in 602 from Paekche, one of the three ancient kingdoms of the Korean Peninsula. According to the Nihon shoki (Chronicles of Japan), Kanroku was one of the most influential priests of the era because of his knowledge of astronomy, geometry, and numerology, which he taught to students in Japan. Kanroku was responsible for the adoption of the first lunar calendar in Japan.
The Sutra Storehouse is believed to have contained one of the temple’s three sets of fukuzo, or underground depositories. The depositories are said to have held enough wealth and treasure to rebuild Horyuji Temple in case of a disaster.