pagoda or tou

tiered temple

A pagoda, or tou, is a building which houses a relic. The pagoda has its origins in the Indian stupa, one of the three major types of Buddhist buildings. After the Buddha's death his ashes were distributed to ten stupas which were modeled after Hindu burial mounds. The traditional Indian shape is hemispherical with a pillar protruding skyward. By the time the stupa arrived in Japan via China, it was pagoda-shaped and generally constructed of wood. Although some pagodas are said to house the relics of the Buddha himself, more often the pagoda enshrines a sutra or other religious object. In Japan, pagodas are generally three- or five-storied.

Buddhist Art and Architecture
Thames & Hudson