Toji (Toji Temple)

Toji is the head temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, located in the Minami Ward of Kyoto City. Its formal name is Kyoogokoku-ji. Established in 796 CE (Enryaku 15) as a state temple to protect the nation, it was built east of the Rajomon gate in conjunction with the relocation of the capital to Heian-kyo. It is known as the only surviving structure from the original Heian-kyo. In 823 CE (Kounin 14), Emperor Saga bestowed the temple upon Kobo Daishi Kukai, transforming it into Japan's first authentic esoteric Buddhist temple. Kukai placed the Buddha Vairocana at the center of the precincts and expressed a three-dimensional mandala across the vast temple grounds. The principal image is Yakushi Nyorai (the Medicine Buddha) enshrined in the Kondo (Golden Hall). The Kodo (Lecture Hall) houses a surviving three-dimensional mandala consisting of 21 statues conceived by Kukai. The five-story pagoda, standing approximately 55 meters tall, is a National Treasure and the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan. It was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1994 as part of the 'Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto'.