Majestic and beautiful—the UNESCO World Heritage Site Enryaku-ji nestled in the mountains of Kyoto

Photos & Text byRight upper 45-degree angle

This view could easily grace the cover of a high-end travel magazine. On the left is the Jōgyōdō (Hall of Perpetual Practice), and on the right is the Hōkōdō (Hall of the Lotus Sutra). Continuing on to the Western Pagoda area. That said, from taking the cable car around 9:00 a.m., choosing not to take the bus and instead strolling through the pine forest, it was almost noon by the time we truly entered the main precincts of the Western Pagoda.




A view of the Jōgyōdō from the perspective of moss and pine trees. Sunlight filters down intermittently onto the lush green moss, creating a serene and elegant scene—so beautiful, so breathtakingly lovely...

On the way to the Shaka-dō (Sakyamuni Hall). As befits a sacred Buddhist site, besides the commonly seen toro lanterns of Japanese shrines, solemn deities also appear from time to time.


Enryaku-ji, this solemn and beautiful place, was once the site of a horrific tragedy. In 1571, Oda Nobunaga, unable to defeat the rebellious warlords who had taken refuge in the temple seeking sanctuary, became furious that the sacred Buddhist grounds refused to hand them over. In anger, he attacked Mount Hiei, burning it to the ground and beheading over 3,000 monks... Therefore, most of what you see of Enryaku-ji today is reconstructed after that event.


The Shaka-dō is the oldest temple within the grounds, rebuilt in 1596, and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

This is a Buddha’s footprint stone, said to be a stone stepped on by the Buddha at his birth. Can’t really see anything special about the shape in the upper right, huh?




To travel between the Western Pagoda, Yokawa, and Eastern Pagoda areas, you can take a Kyoto Bus. Walking on foot, it would take roughly an hour to get to each. The bus pass shown in the upper right has already been purchased, so just show it to the driver to board the bus heading up.


Arriving at Yokawa, the first thing that catches your eye is the Yokawa Chūdō (Central Hall), which is also the main hall of Yokawa. Although cherry blossoms at the foot of the mountain are nearing the end of their bloom, it’s cooler up here in the mountains, and unfortunately, the cherry tree beside the temple hasn’t bloomed yet. Viewed from this angle, doesn’t it somewhat resemble the Kiyomizu-dera stage built against the mountainside?


Not only are there magnificent temples, but you’ll sometimes also find simpler, more unadorned smaller ones nearby.

The bell tower is nestled among the pine woods. Sometimes you can hear the deep tolling of bells echoing along the path—who knows if it’s coming from here?


The front of the Yokawa Chūdō. It’s really hard to imagine that such a tranquil mountain temple once witnessed the terrifying attack by Oda Nobunaga.




Along the paths, you’ll see many small wooden plaques and stone Buddha statues, indicating that this is the origin site of various temples across Japan. For example, this statue of the Thousand-Armed Kannon is the deity from which the immensely popular Kiyomizu-dera at the mountain’s base originated.

The Eshindō (Hall of the Compassionate Mind) offers yet another kind of beauty, and it’s also the birthplace of Japan’s Jōdo-shū (Pure Land Buddhism) sect.


The last stop in Yokawa is the Shishikyōdō (Four Seasons Lecture Hall). It was here that the monk Renshō (also known as Honen’s disciple, Ryōgen, nicknamed Yōkan) gave lectures on sutras. Emperor Murakami requested that the Lotus Sutra be taught in all four seasons, hence the name “Four Seasons Lecture Hall.”




So let’s end, too, with a cherry tree that hasn’t bloomed yet (sniffle).

[Enryaku-ji Travel Guide/Strong]http://www.hieizan.gr.jp/