Japan Guide
Western Honshū
Rurikō-ji
The charming temple and park of Rurikō-ji and Kōzan-kōen are in the foothills around 1km north of Kame-yama-kōen. The temple dates from the high point of the Ōuchi clan's reign and epitomizes the Kyoto style of the Muromachi era (1333–1573). Its highlight is a beautifully preserved five-storey pagoda (designated one of the top three pagodas in the country), made from Japanese cypress and picturesquely sited beside an ornamental pond. Beside the temple is a small exhibition hall (daily 9am–5pm; ¥300) containing a diverting collection of model pagodas, photographs of the other 53 pagodas scattered around Japan, and strange masks.
Next to Rurikō-ji, the park of Kōzan-kōen, with its peaceful and atmospheric graveyard, is the last resting place of the daimyō Mōri Takachika and his offspring. Takachika was one of the prime movers in planning the overthrow of the Tokugawa government at the end of the Edo era, and there are a couple of old wooden houses preserved in the park where he secretly met fellow plotters. The closest bus stop to Rurikō-ji is Kimachi.