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Toji Temple

The Temple of National Protection

To-ji Temple, also known as Kyo-o-gokoku-ji Temple, was founded in 794, and holds a supreme position among Japanese Buddhist temples as the preaching ground of Master Kukai for the Shingon Buddhist School. It has the tallest five-storied pagoda in Japan, which is a national treasure, along with the temple's Golden Hall and Mieido Hall.

After Emperor Kanmu moved the capital to Heian-kyo (present-day Kyoto) in 794 A.D., two magnificent temples were built on the east and west sides of the main gate of the capital. The one on the west side is now gone, while the one on the east side has survived wars and natural disasters and is still preserved today, this is To-ji, the East Temple.

To-ji Temple occupies a supreme position among Japanese Buddhist temples. In 823 A.D., the emperor gave it to Master Kukai 弘法大師空海 (Kobo Daishi), who had returned from his studies in China, and Kukai used it as a preaching ground for the propagation of the Shingon Buddhist School, making it the head temple of the Toji school of Shingon Buddhism in Japan.

The temple is also famous for its cherry blossoms and Red Leaves. There are three halls in the middle of To-ji Temple: the Golden Hall, the Lecture Hall, and the Dining Hall, which represent the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha in Buddhism. The Golden Hall and the Lecture Hall are both national treasures of Japan.

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The full name of To-ji Temple is Kyo-o-gokoku-ji Temple 教王護国寺, meaning “The Temple for the Defense of the Nation by Means of the King of Doctrines”.

The main hall of the temple was built in 796 and was destroyed by fire in 1486. Restored in the early 17th century by Toyotomi Hideyori 豊臣秀頼, The Golden Hall 金堂 is a fusion of Japanese and Indian architecture that is now more than 400 years old. Inside the hall are Yakushi Nyorai 薬師如来 (The Medicine Buddha), Nikko Bosatsu & Gakko Bosatsu, collectively known as the Yakushi Trinity.

The Lecture hall 講堂, located behind the Golden Hall, was originally built in 1491 in its original form as a place for teaching sutras. Inside the hall, there are 21 statues of Buddha arranged in the pattern of Tantric Mandala, 16 of which are national treasures.

The Dining Hall 食堂 is the last building the row, which used to be a place for the monks to eat and is now used as a Sutra copying area for the temple. This is the starting point of The Eighty-eight Temples and Pilgrimage Route of Shikoku, which is a famous Buddhist pilgrimage route in Japan, and events related to this pilgrimage are held in the dining hall.

In the southeast corner of the temple stands a 55-meter-tall five-story pagoda, which is The Tallest Surviving Five-story Pagoda in Japan. It is said that the tower was originally built by Master Kukai, and was rebuilt by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1644 after several fires. At the foot of the five-story pagoda is a Japanese Garden, which has been carefully decorated with flowers in all seasons. Standing by the pond, you can enjoy the flowers from near and the pagoda from far, which is suitable for relaxing and experiencing the true meaning of Buddhism.

On the 21st of every month, which is the karmic day of Master Konghai, more than 1,000 stalls are temporarily set up in the open space of the temple to sell various snacks, daily necessities, handicrafts and other small items, which is called “Kobo Flee Market” and this tradition has been continued for more than 700 years.