Japanese traditional architecture, Sanju-no-to pagoda in Kyoto

Unlike the stone pagodas, that resemble monuments, the wooden pagodas are build like towers, with a fully functional interior. Very few can be visited inside (and I warmly recommend a visit to Kyoto Tō-ji pagoda, the tallest pagoda in Japan), and even fewer allow visitors to climb the interior stairs, right to the top. If you want to experience such a climb (and I think it’s worth it), pay a visit to the Shitenno-ji in Osaka.

The number of levels is generally an odd number (except for the small tahōtō), and the pagodas are named in Japan according to the number of floors. For example, the pagoda of the Kyoto Kiyomizu-dera, photographed here, is called sanju-no-tō, "three-storied pagoda" (tō means pagoda). Built in 1632, this pagoda is distinguished by its beautiful wooden veranda (engawa in Japanese)...