In the early morning and late evening hours around Hokan-ji in eastern Kyoto, the streets are nearly deserted and you can enjoy a magical moment of alone time with this six centuries-old pagoda. Sitting on a sloped narrow stone path, this historic pagoda is mostly surrounded by traditional wooden shops and residences. At one time the pagoda was part of a group of temple buildings but fires likely claimed the other buildings long ago, leaving only this magnificent structure towering over the neighborhood. One of the wonderful things about this neighborhood is that power lines have been run underground for the specific reason of not ruining the view.