Enryaku-ji

Enryaku-ji

Enryaku-ji is a temple located in Sakamoto Honmachi, Ōtsu City, Shiga Prefecture. It was founded in the 7th year of the Enryaku era (788 AD) by Saichō, the founder of the Tendai sect, and has the mountain name "Mount Hiei" with the main deity being the Medicine Buddha. It is said that the founders of various sects such as Hōnen of the Pure Land sect, Shinran of the Jōdo Shinshū, Nichiren of the Nichiren sect, Dōgen of the Sōtō sect, and Eisai of the Rinzai sect practiced at Enryaku-ji, which is why the temple is also known as the "Mother Mountain of Japanese Buddhism."

Located on Mount Hiei, Enryaku-ji is the head temple of the Tendai sect and holds an extremely important status in Japan. The temple grounds still preserve many historic buildings, including the East Pagoda, West Pagoda, and Yokawa, many of which have been designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The East Pagoda houses several halls such as the Konpon Chūdō (Main Hall), Monju Hall, Daikōdō (Great Lecture Hall), and Kaidan-in, forming the central area of Enryaku-ji. Within the Konpon Chūdō is enshrined the standing statue of the Medicine Buddha, the main deity. The eternal flame within has never gone out in the 1,200 years since the temple’s founding. The West Pagoda includes the Jōgyōdō, the oldest surviving hall in the temple complex, and the Jizai-in where visitors can experience Zen meditation. The Yokawa area contains structures such as the Yokawa Chūdō and the Motohisa-dō.

Enryaku-ji

Must-visit reason: The most important temple of the Tendai sect in Japan

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia

Country/region where the attraction is located: Japan

Province/state where the attraction is located: Shiga Prefecture

City where the attraction is located: Ōtsu