Five-Storied Pagoda 五重塔

The central column represents Dainichi Nyorai, the primordial or cosmic Buddha, who occupies the most important place in Shingon Buddhism. Inside the pagoda, the column is surrounded by four other Buddhas. Together with Dainichi Nyorai, they comprise the Five Great Buddhas found in the center of the Diamond World Mandala, a symbolic representation of the universe as understood in esoteric Buddhism. The same arrangement of Buddhas can be found in the statues in the Lecture Hall.

On the interior walls are paintings of Kūkai and other masters of esoteric Buddhism, and of a dragon. Dragons are water creatures in Chinese and Japanese mythology, and this image is intended to protect the wooden building from fire. A final distinctive touch can be found on the outside of the building: a carving of a small, demon-like creature called a jaki is perched on a protruding beam on each corner, where he appears to be helping to support the roof.

Gojū no tō, the Five-Storied Pagoda (National Treasure)

The five-storied pagoda is the oldest surviving wooden structure in Kyoto. Emperor Suzaku began its construction in 936 in remembrance of his father, Emperor Daigo, and the work was completed 15 years later.

The pagoda is 38m (ca. 125ft) tall, with the sōrin shaft at the top of the pagoda structure accounting for around one third of its height – 13m (ca. 43ft), adding to the majestic impression typical of Heian period pagodas. The inner wall of the lowest story is decorated with two sacred murals that are also designated National Treasures.

The first mural depicts the most renowned pair of mandala in Shingon Buddhism - The Mandala of the Two Realms (Ryōkai Mandala), a diagrammatic expression that consist of two individual representations: the Diamond Mandala (Kongō-kai) and the Womb Mandala (Taizō-kai). The former represents the unchanging principle of the universe and latter the dynamic force of Buddhahood in the world. Combined, they symbolize important levels of reality in the metaphysics of Japanese esoteric Buddhism.

The second mural, The Eight Patriarchs of the Shingon Buddhism, depicts the patriarchs of Shingon Buddhism. Founding patriarchs and the transmission of the secret teachings directly from master to disciple is an important characteristic of Shingon Buddhism. Its value for the monastery is underlined by the presence of the mural in the central structure of the pagoda. The two mural groups both represent rare sacred Buddhist painting dating from the 10th century of the Heian period, while representing essential teachings of the school.

Five-Story Pagoda

The structure of the pagoda building is single-storied. The other four tiers are layers of bracket complexes and eaves, and cannot be accessed from the main floor. Routine maintenance of the upper floors is performed from outside the structure.

The pagoda houses many religious paintings and sculptures. A statue of Dainichi, the omnipresent Cosmic Buddha of whom all things and phenomena are emanations, sits in front of the central pillar, flanked by statues of buddhas of the four directions.