Refectory Hall (Jikidō)

The Jikido is the daily dining and training hall for Toji's monks, and the current building dates to 1933 after the original was lost to fire. Inside, you can see four fire-damaged statues of the Four Heavenly Kings that survived from the original hall. Each month on the 21st, scrolls representing all 88 temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage are hung around the exterior, with trays of soil from each corresponding temple placed on the ground in front. Standing on this earth is said to carry the same spiritual merit as visiting the actual temple, allowing the full pilgrimage to be completed without leaving Kyoto.