Hokanji Temple is located near Kiyomizu Temple, and the towering five-storied pagoda in the city is commonly known as “Yasaka Pagoda” and is a landmark in the area.
法観寺(ほうかんじ)は、清水寺の近隣に位置しており、街中にそびえ立つ五重塔は通称「八坂の塔」と呼ばれ、周辺のランドマークとなっている。

The precincts of the temple are small, and there are no other buildings that stand out other than the pagoda.
境内は狭く、塔以外に目だった建築物がないことから、「八坂の塔」は寺自体を指す通称ともなっている。

According to legend, the five-storied pagoda was built in 592 by Prince Shotoku following a dream of Nyoirin Kannon, and it is said that he enshrined three Buddhist relics at that time and called it Hokanji Temple.
伝承によれば五重塔は592年に聖徳太子が如意輪観音の夢告により建てたとされ、その際、仏舎利を三粒収めて法観寺と号したという。

Although the legend of the founding of Prince Shotoku has doubts about its credibility, it is certain that it was an old temple that existed before the transfer of the capital to Heian-kyo, and there is a view that it was built as a clan temple for the Yasaka clan, a clan from the Korean peninsula. is influential.
聖徳太子創建の伝承は信憑性に疑いがあるものの、平安京遷都以前から存在した古い寺院であることは確かとされており、朝鮮半島系の渡来氏族・八坂氏の氏寺として創建されたという見方が有力である。

Based on the style of roof tiles excavated from the precincts, it is believed that the temple dates back to the 7th century.
境内から出土する瓦の様式から、創建は7世紀にさかのぼるとみられる。
The existing five-storied pagoda was rebuilt in the 15th century, but it was built on the ruins of the pagoda when it was first built, and the underground core (foundation stone of the central pillar) unique to ancient temples remains.
現存する五重塔は15世紀の再建であるが、創建時の塔跡に建てられており、古代寺院に特有の地下式の心礎(心柱の礎石)が残っている。

The name of the temple was originally called Yasaka-dera, and the first reference to Yasaka-dera in literature is in the article of 837 of “Shoku Nihon Koki”.
寺号は当初は八坂寺と称され、八坂寺の文献上の初見は『続日本後紀』承和4年(837年)条である。
Excerpt from Wikipedia
若林泰弘