The Fujiwara family built Kojuku-ji temple in Kyoto in the 600's, but decided to move it to Nara 100 years later to consolidate their religious complexes in the new capital. While they were powerful, they clearly weren't prescient, as the capital promptly moved to Kyoto almost as soon as they had moved this temple in the opposite direction. This was a Shinto shrine as well, but did something of a merger with a neighboring Buddhist temple, and now it's a bit of both, just like Japan. There are two pagodas, both pictured here, with the five story one at left the second tallest in Japan. I didn't see many Japanese pagodas in my travels, mostly I think due to the fact that they attract lightning so most burn down over the years, but you'll see lots of exuberant pagodas when/if I get to blogging about our Nepal trip.