Toji (東寺) temple, designated as the World Heritage in 1994, has 1200 years of history since its foundation in the Heian period. The Gojunoto, five-story pagoda with the height of 55 meters, is a national treasure and the tallest wooden architecture of Japan.
During the special exhibition period, the first story of the pagoda is open to the public. The inside is the pagoda is a world of esoteric Buddhism (密教) with statues of Dainichi (大日)Buddha, four other Buddhas, and eight Bodhisattvas, as well as many Mandara (曼荼羅) paintings. In addition, Kondo Hall (金堂, also a national treasure of Japan), as well as Kodo Hall (講堂, an important cultural property of Japan) very famous for its Rittai Mandara (立体曼荼羅, a group of statues of Buddha and Bodhisattvas creating a 3D world of Mandara) can be observed.
Date: Saturday, January 6 - Sunday, March 18, 2018
Time: 9:00am-4:30pm
Fee: 800yen
Access: Kyoto city bus No. 18 and 207, Toji Higashimon Mae