Toji (Eastern Temple), Kyoto

Toji's pagoda is the tallest wooden tower in Japan.

Toji (Eastern Temple) is a Buddhist temple of the Shingon sect in Kyoto, Japan. It once had a partner, Saiji (Western Temple), and the two stood alongside the Rashomon, the gate to the Heian capital.

The famous priest Kobo Daishi (Kukai) founded Toji in 823 A.D. by order of Emperor Saga. The temple's formal name is Kyo-o Gokoku-ji, indicating that its function was protection of the nation. Its principal image is of Yakushi Nyorai, the healing Buddha.

The pagoda of Toji stands 57 m high, and is the tallest wooden tower in Japan. It dates from the Edo period, when it was rebuilt by order of the third Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu.

Recognizing the historical and spiritual significance of Toji, UNESCO designated it, along with several other treasures in Kyoto Prefecture, a World Heritage Site. Today it is an oasis of calm in central Kyoto.