“Shoku Nihongi,” the imperially commissioned history text on the Nara Period, notes that Emperor Shomu (701-756), father of Koken, resided in Toin when he was crown prince. The area was later ...

The pagoda was erected during the Nara Period (710-784) at the encouragement of Empress Komyo, the wife of Emperor Shomu. It has been destroyed by fire on five occasions but rebuilt each time.