Ruriko-ji Five Story Pagoda — Attraction in Yamaguchi

Go up around the Back! This is a beautiful pagoda that creates in its viewers a little bit of a Zen (or if you prefer, God's glory) experience. Why is this? Why do visitors say that it takes their breath away. My interpretation is that it looks like a lot of houses or temples stacked one on top of another. We are used to seeing the temple roof shape of each story of the pagoda. In the grounds of the temple there are similar roofs, of other similar temple structures but these are arranged horizontally with at most a slight vertical misalignment due to the temple structures and their roofs being built on a slope, which with the admixture of perspective, allows us to see when we view a temple complex or townscape a cascade of roofs stretching off into the distance. And so it is when we view this pagoda our brains attempt to interpret its form in the same familiar way, as smaller and smaller, more distant roofs, on the side of the mountain, but then, whammy, it is not perspective, it is not a slope, these roofs are stacked. And in that whattheblazes moment of reappraisal, our analytical mind is stumped, stopped and dumbfounded, and we are given a glimpse of that which a Zen scholar calls "the purity of experience" or perhaps, in Christian parlance, we see the light. In any event it is a very beautiful pagoda. It contains a library of books that no one reads. And those in the know can go up around the back to stand at eye level with the middle of the pagoda and look down upon the temple sharing the same grounds. Please see the photo....

No matter how many times I visit, this pagoda takes my breath away! It’s so pretty throughout the year. There are plum blossom trees, cherry blossom trees, and hydrangea on the grounds for people to enjoy. It’s also nice place to enjoy fall foliage. There are usually some volunteer guides on the grounds also. They are so nice and helpful. Lots of parking available, but they do get very busy during certain times of the year if you go on the weekend. If you’re hungry while you are here, there is a cafe that serves the roof tile noodles nearby. It’s next to the large gift shop that is located next to the parking lot. The grounds are wheelchair and stroller friendly. There is no fee to enter and...

Currently, 70 years since the last time the hiwadabuki hiwadabuki roofing came down, the National Treasure Ruriko-ji Pagoda covers the entire roof, and construction is underway. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2026, but the scaffolding will be removed in the fall of 2025, and the original appearance will...