Toji, a Temple of the Mystical World – Part 2

This time, let me talk about the pagoda at the temple. It is the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan and is regarded as a symbol of Kyoto. The first pagoda was built in the 9th century and unfortunately burned down several times. But every time it burned down, it was rebuilt. The one we can see now is the fifth one and was built in the mid-17th century.

The origin of pagodas comes from a stupa in India. The stupa is the Buddha’s tomb, so pagodas in Japan were built as tombs to hold some of his remains, too. A pagoda looks like a five-storied building from outside, but it’s not five-storied inside. There are no stairs or floors, so it’s a tall one-floor building. It only has supporting structures like pillars inside.

In the precincts of the temple, a flea market is held on the 21st of every month. It was March 21st when Kukai passed away. After he passed away, every year, people visited the temple on March 21st to pray for Kukai. Gradually, they started to visit on the 21st of every month. As more and more people came, stalls were opened on the 21st of every month.

Now, there are more than one-thousand shops selling many different things such as antiques, tableware, clothes, local foods and potted plants. You can also find handmade items, too. It’s a lively market, so it’s fun to just walk around and see what they are selling. You may be able to find something you like with a good deal! Unfortunately, the market is postponed because of the coronavirus, but I hope things will get better and that the lively market will come back again.

Every time I visit Toji Temple, I’m impressed by the solemnity of the Buddhist statues and the pagoda. Also, it has a nice, peaceful pond garden with seasonal flowers such as cherry blossoms in spring, lotus flowers in summer, and autumn leaves in fall.

If you have a chance to come to Kyoto, you should check out this place!