Five-story Pagoda of To-ji Temple

The five-story pagoda at To-ji Temple is both beautiful, and extremely strong. Those that designed the temple figured out a way to engineer earthquake-proof features into it, without sacrificing any of its beauty.

Another masterful design feature are the roofs. They are all quite large, with the purpose of protecting the delicate wood underneath from the wetness of rain and snow. There are many other such features. Yet at the same time, the graceful silhouette of this temple is one of the most iconic and famous in Japan. Inside the pagoda, brilliantly colored golden Buddhist statues surround and protect the center pillar. These are open to public viewing a few time a year. As the sun sets each day, the sky lights up and the pagoda's silhouette dominates the surrounding skyline.