Kōgetsudai
The Kōgetsudai, or “Moon-viewing Platform,” reflects the popular pastime of viewing the moon, which is said to date back to the Nara period (710-794). The moon is a symbol of enlightenment in Buddhism. Constructed around the same time as the Ginshadan, the Kōgetsudai was originally much lower than it is now. It now stands 180 centimeters tall; a flat-topped, perfectly symmetrical cone of white sand. It is retouched every four to six weeks to maintain its smooth, pristine form.