Temple & shrine · Kyoto
To-ji
東寺
To-ji was founded in 796 to guard the new capital, and was later given to the monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi), founder of Shingon Buddhism. It is now part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto World Heritage site. Its five-storey pagoda, about 55 metres tall, is Japan's tallest wooden pagoda and a symbol of Kyoto seen from the train.
The treasure is in the Lecture Hall (Kodo). Here 21 Buddhist statues stand in a group, laid out as a three-dimensional mandala of Kukai's teaching. The effect is quiet and powerful. On the 21st of each month the grounds fill with the Kobo-ichi market.
What to see and do
21 statues, many of them National Treasures, arranged as a living mandala.
Japan's tallest wooden pagoda. The ground floor opens only at special times, such as 31 Oct–25 Nov 2026.
A huge flea and food market on the 21st of every month, and a smaller antiques market on the first Sunday.
Opens in spring and autumn with temple treasures such as mandala paintings.
What’s on
Good to know
- Come on the 21st for the Kobo-ichi market, but arrive early. It gets very crowded.
- Photos are not allowed inside the halls.
