After the stone "staircase of the 1 000 " (Sennin Ishidan) and imposing granite torii, you come to the five-storey pagoda (Gojunoto). It was built in 1650, destroyed in 1815 and rebuilt three years later. The central pillar (30m high) has a floating base, which helps the structure resist damage in the event of an earthquake by echoing its movement. The animals drawn on the first floor represent the 12 signs of the zodiac. The triple hollyhock encircled by black makes up the Tokugawa crest.