What is happening in Japan?
Many of us have been worried about the relentless destruction of Christian churches in Europe and elsewhere, and now there is a worrying trend targeting ancient Japanese temples.
Just four days ago, a 573-year-old Daihoji Temple in Japan, filled with priceless artworks, was destroyed in a massive fire.
🇯🇵 This 573-year-old Daihoji Temple in Japan, a national treasure with priceless artworks, got completely destroyed in a MASSIVE fire
Centuries of culture vanishing overnight… pic.twitter.com/VS985oDmwz
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 17, 2026
And yesterday (20), a 1,200-year-old Japanese Buddhist temple was burned to the ground after the ‘eternal flame’ spread, reducing it to ashes.
Watch: the ‘eternal flame’ survived wars, earthquakes, and centuries of history… only to vanish overnight.
🇯🇵 The “Eternal Flame” that was said to have burned continuously for 1,200 years at Reika-dō Hall in Miyajima has reportedly been destroyed in a fire.
A flame linked to Kūkai survived wars, earthquakes, and centuries of history… only to vanish overnight.
Some losses feel… pic.twitter.com/FspDSEzpcD
— Sourabh (@vellasrv) May 20, 2026
The Telegraph reported:
“Footage showed Reikado Hall, a holy site at the top of a mountain on Itsukushima island, near Hiroshima, engulfed in flames.
The temple was reduced to a charred and blackened shell, despite dozens of firefighters and a helicopter rushing to extinguish the blaze.”
TRAGIC LOSS OF 1,200 YEAR OLD JAPANESE HERITAGE SITE 🔻
Heartbreaking news out of Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture. The historic Reikado Hall at Daisho-in Temple home to Japan’s eternal flame that burned continuously for over 1,200 years has been completely destroyed by… pic.twitter.com/MKCzKAjamP
— @XTexasGirlX (@XtexasgirlX) May 20, 2026
“The World Heritage area is famous for the site’s flame, said to have burned continually since it was lit by a Japanese monk in 806AD.”
The hall had previously suffered damage from fires and natural disasters, including a blaze in 2005 that harmed the structure.
A fire destroyed the Reikado Hall at Daishoin Temple in Japan, home to a sacred flame believed to have burned for more than a thousand years.
The flame, once used to light the eternal flame at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, was safely moved before the blaze spread. pic.twitter.com/Uhz2YPj00D
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) May 21, 2026
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