High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Sai-ji or the West Temple was one of the two large Buddhist temples established in Kyoto, Japan.Sai-ji was founded in the early Heian period. The temple dates from 796, two years after the capital moved to Heian-ky . Sai-ji was established together with the other temple, T -ji (the East Temple). Each occupied a square site of approximately 300 m by 300 m situated symmetrically on both sides of the Suzaku- ji (present-day Senbon-d ri), just north of the great Rash mon gate along the southern edge of the city. While T -ji has survived (albeit rebuilt) into modern times, Sai-ji was burnt in 990 and 1233, then abandoned and never rebuilt.