Tochoji

**The six-sided pagoda:** Tochoji's five-story pagoda is one of only two octagonal pagodas in Japan that survive from the pre-Meiji era. It stands 26 meters and is open to walk-under viewing. Come at dusk when the upper stories catch the last light. **Kukai connection:** The main hall contains a hand-carved Buddha attributed to Kukai himself (historically unprovable but spiritually significant). The hall is usually left open — entering the dimly lit space alone at opening time (9:00) creates an atmosphere of genuine antiquity. **Combination walk:** Tochoji is from Kushida Shrine and from Hakata Machiya Folk Museum — a natural 2-hour history circuit through old Hakata that covers 1,200 years of the district's evolution. **Photography note:** The hell corridor exit point (a small doorway in the northeast corner of the statue room) produces a striking frame when another visitor emerges from the dark — photograph from the room interior.