Today’s topic is
東寺【To-Ji Temple】in Kyoto.
東寺【To-Ji Temple】is one of the famous and popular temples in Kyoto. There are many traditional buildings and things there!!
It’s not only well known traditional place but also one of the famous places of cherry blossom in spring, and red leaves in fall. If you have a chance to visit there in both seasons, you should! I believe it’s worth visiting and seeing!!
In addition, you can go there by a walk that takes only 15~20 minutes from Kyoto station. So I also recommend that you visit there first thing since you’ve arrived at Kyoto station. Anyway, I’ll introduce To-Ji Temple for detail below. I hope you’ll enjoy this topic as much as I do!!
東寺【To-Ji Temple】
To-Ji Temple is the only heritage which remains from 平安京【Heian period】, last for over 1200 years. It was registered as a World Heritage Site in 1994. I believe it’s worth to visit and see lots of cultural buildings and Buddhism things!! You’ll feel like you’re in a different world while you’re there!!
In addition, it’s so close to Kyoto station that many tourists visit there just after they’ve arrived in Kyoto. You also go there by train and the nearest station is 近鉄東寺駅【Kintetsu-Line To-Ji Temple station】that it takes only 5 minutes from Kyoto station.
You’ll find the gate of To-Ji Temple soon after you get off the train. Two big Japanese lanterns which are written the word of 東寺 hang on the gate!
食堂【Ziki-Do Hall】
After you’ve walked through the gate, you can feel the traditional Buddhism world. Then you’ll get to Ziki-Do Hall which is a place where monks find training in their lives You’re allowed to get into from 6:00 a.m. to the time to close for free, and also you can buy lots oh things related to To-Ji Temple and get 御朱印【Goshuin】.
After that, you ‘ll get into the ground of To-Ji Temple. You need to pay 500 yen to enter but it’s definitely worth it!! 金堂【Kon-Do Hall】, 講堂【Ko-Do (Auditorium)】, and 五重の塔【Five-storied pagoda】 are open throughout the year, but the inside of the first-story pagoda and the treasure hall are only open during special exhibitions and special worship sessions.
Be sure to look up when the special exhibitions and special worship are before you come to Kyoto if you wanna see inside and lots of Buddhism statues!! Then you’ve done it, you enter and see these sceneries. It’s cool and beautiful, isn’t it?? You can see the main buildings on the right side of the road.
講堂【Ko-Do Hall (Auditorium)】
The ground is a rectangle of 255 meters east-west and 515 meters north-south. In the temple area, the area where the large temple is built is 255 meters in both east, west, south and north and is almost square. The auditorium is located in the center.
There are 21 Buddhist monks and three-dimensional mandalas, so you can fully enjoy the world of Buddhism. I wanna show you everything inside but we’re not allowed to take photos…
Check it this official Links below. https://toji.or.jp/guide/kodo/
金堂【Kon-Do Hall】
This is the main building called Kon-Do Hall. This is built in 796, and the first one which is established among all things there. But actually, in 1596, To-Ji Temple collapsed due to a major earthquake, but this hall was rebuilt with the help of 豊臣秀吉【Hideyoshi Toyotomi】. The important cultural property, 薬師如来坐像【Yakushi Nyorai Zazo】, is the largest in Japan and watches over the worshipers with a gentle face along with both Nikko and Gekko statues.
I also wanna show you how magnificent everything is but we’re not allowed to take photos too…
Check it this official Links below. https://toji.or.jp/guide/kondo/
五重の塔【Five-storied Pagoda】
This temple boasts Japan’s tallest five-storied wooden pagoda, which is the most time-honored landmark in Kyoto. In addition to its impressive array of buildings, To-Ji Temple possesses an extraordinary collection of Buddhist art, such as sculptures, mandalas, and implements used in esoteric rituals, which demonstrates that Toji was the center of Shingon practice in Kyoto.
That’s all about 東寺【To-Ji Temple】. How did you like it so far?? Are you satisfied ??? If you have any question and favor, please let me know here or twitter or IG. I hope you guys enjoyed this post as much as I did!! Thank you for reading !!!!
Sightseeing Kyoto#1: 清水寺【Kiyomizu-Dera Temple】 Kyoto#2: 高台寺【Kodai-Ji Temple】 Kyoto#3: 金閣寺【Kinkaku-Ji […]
・ Open: 8:00~17:00
・Admission Fee: 500 yen
・HP URL(English): https://toji.or.jp
・Map：