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The Tokyo Japan Temple is one of a series of detailed pencil drawings and paintings created by the artist Chad S. Hawkins. In 1989, at the age of seventeen, Chad started this unique temple series becoming the original LDS artist to involve hidden spiritual images in his artwork. Before drawing each temple, Chad visits the temple site to research its history, construction, and beautiful surroundings. He then returns to his studio to draw the temple by referring to his notes, sketches, and photographs.
In 1949 Elder Matthew Cowley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stood in the library of the newly completed mission headquarters and offered the dedicatory prayer. In his prayer he was inspired to prophesy, “There will some day be many Church buildings, and even temples in [Japan].” Five years after announcing the Tokyo Japan Temple, President Kimball dedicated it on 27 October 1980, on the very spot where Elder Cowley had made his prophecy of temples in Japan,
“As with all of my temple works of art,” comments the artist, “I include in addition to the temple, appropriate hidden spiritual images within each drawing. In the temple, members are taught more about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the purpose of life. To remind one of the importance of Christ’s atonement in temple work, I rendered the Savior’s image within this drawing. He is depicted among the trees overlooking his beauitful temple.
