Kyoto Attractions

To-ji

To-ji, with the tallest pagoda in Japan, was the temple founded in 794 as guardian of the then young capital city’s welfare. Today it stands about 10 minutes walk to the south of Kyoto Station, drawing curious tourists to admire in particular its five-storey pagoda, which was rebuilt in the mid-17th century. During the span of centuries a treasure trove of statuary, calligraphy and paintings has been collected at the temple, now housed in the various historic buildings making up the temple complex. The statues include a six-metre-tall Senju Kannon (thousand-arm Buddhist Goddess of Mercy) carved in 877.

Address: 1 Kujo-cho, Minami-ku; Telephone: (0)75 671 9612; Opening time: Daily 9am to 4.30pm (20 March to 25 May, and 20 September to 25 November) ; Admission: ¥500 admission is charged for the Main Hall and pagoda