The doors to the first floor are open now

These photos are part of the five storied pagoda at Ruriko-ji temple, Yamaguchi city. To entice tourists to come over in winter when the number of visitors decline due to cold weather, many establishments hold special events. Now visitors to Ruriko-ji can see the interior of the pagoda.

My objective was one and only: to see the shin-bashira heart pillar.

Behind the statue of Amitabha Buddha stands the shin-bashira.

This pagopa was built for O-UCHI Yoshihiro who died in a battle and his statue modeled after the original statue enshrined at Kan-non Hall of Toshun-ji nearby was added inside in the 20th century.

Note the statues are enshrined on a circular pedestal. It's one of this pagoda's unique features.

Five storied pagodas with a veranda on its first level has a raised floor; thus pillars can be seen under floor. You can see the shin-bashira in the center.