Tō-ji was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

It once had a partner, Sai-ji (West Temple) and, together, they stood alongside the Rashomon, the gate to the Heian capital.

[4] The five-storied Pagoda (五重塔, gojūnotō) of Tō-ji dates from 1643 (Edo period), when it was rebuilt by order of the third Tokugawa Shōgun, Iemitsu.

The original pagoda was built in the 9th century, but it was destroyed and rebuilt four times before reaching its current state.

The grounds also house an academically rigorous private school, Rakunan, from which many students are sent to elite universities.

[8] These temples were typically built in the mountains and utilized more natural and demographic design elements, dictating the resulting architectural layout.

The decorative mokoshi and outfitting of modern structural technology (of the time), were most likely integrated during the remodeling of the tower in the Kamakura Period.

This market is popularly called Kōbō-san, in honor of Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai), who died on the 21 of the third Month of 835 AD (22 April in the Western Calendar).

Tō-ji and Sai-ji were built at the southern edge of the capital and were the only Buddhist temples officially allowed in Heian-kyō at the time.

A legend says that at the time of a great drought, Kūkai, the priest at Tō-ji, and Shubin, his colleague at Sai-ji, were both praying for rainfall.

At that time a Jizō[clarification needed] appeared and took the arrow instead of Kūkai, saving his life.

In 1995, the temple was the stage of the Yanni World Tour, On July 7, 2007, one of the Live Earth concerts (held to raise awareness of the Earth's climate) was staged at Tō-ji; artists who played included Bonnie Pink, Michael Nyman, Rip Slyme, UA and the Yellow Magic Orchestra.