162484Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei, Shiga Prefecture

162484

Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei, Shiga Prefecture

Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei

A World Heritage Site, Enryaku-ji Temple (延暦寺, Enryaku-ji) is located on Mount Hiei on the border between Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures and is made up of three areas: the East Pagoda, the West Pagoda and Yokokawa. Founded in 785, Enryaku-ji Temple was built to protect the royal palace on Mount Hiei as it was located to the northeast of the Heian Period capital, an unlucky direction known as the “demon’s gate.” Mount Hiei is where the founders of Japanese sects of Buddhism acquired their training.

The mountain itself is considered sacred, and a spiritual air envelops the area. Konpon-chudo, a National Treasure, is in the East Pagoda area. Although Mount Fuji is today known throughout the world as Japan’s famous mountain, in classical Japanese writing, to mention the word “mountain” was to refer to Mount Hiei, the sacred Buddhist land. Points of note include the Eternal Dharma Light, which has burned continuously since first lit by the founder Saicho more than 1,200 years ago, and the Picture of a Hundred Flowers, a ceiling painting that depicts colorful flowers and other plants.

Enryakuji Temple in its entirety is comprised of more than 100 structures scattered throughout Mt. Hiei’s 1,700 hectares. The mountain is divided into three areas; To-do, Sai-to, and the Yokawa, each with its own main temple hall.

History of Enryakuji

For 1200 Years A Pillar of Buddhism in Japan: A Temple that has Produced a Succession of Distinguished Priests. On Mt. Hiei, overlooking the ancient capital of Kyoto in the west and Lake Biwa in the east, Enryaku-ji Temple occupies vast grounds that cover around 2,000 ha (about 5,000 acres).

The temple was founded in 788 by Saicho (767-822). After the capital was transferred in 794 to Heian-kyo, the site of present-day Kyoto, it became the guardian temple for the city.

For 1200 years since then, the temple has produced many distinguished priests. As a renowned center of learning and ascetic practice, Enryaku-ji Temple has an air of solemn religiosity. For example, monks still subject themselves to rigorous ascetic practices. Some monks shut themselves away in mountain huts for 12 years for the pursuit of learning and religious devotion. Other training involves walking from peak to peak in the mountains along steep paths, about 30 km or more per day, for a total of 1,000 days in a seven-year period: 100 days in both the first and second years, 200 days during each of the third, fourth and fifth years; and 100 days in both the sixth and seventh years.

During the middle of the 10th century, Enryaku-ji Temple had over 3,000 monks, and it had become a powerful force. In 1571, when the monks opposed the regime of Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), he attacked the temple and burned it down. The current buildings date from the latter half of the 16th century to the first half of the 17th century, when the temple was reconstructed following a change of government.

Enryaku-ji Temple has great historical and artistic value. The grounds contain 10 National Treasures and over 50 Important Cultural Properties. Not only the temple itself in an excellent state of preservation, but its environment has great scenic charm. Consequently, in 1994, as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, Enryaku-ji Temple was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage.

Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei

Open hours:

The East Pagoda area: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The West Pagoda and Yokokawa areas: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time.)

Note: Times are subject to change from December through February.

Admission:

Adults: 1,000 yen
Junior high and high school students: 600 yen
Elementary school students: 300 yen

Address: 420 Sakamoto Honmachi, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture > Map
URL: https://www.hieizan.gr.jp/en/
Phone: +81-(0)77-578-0001

Access:

Take Keihan Electric Railway from Sanjo Keihan or Demachiyanagi Station and transfer to the Hieizan Drive Bus. Get off at the Enryaku-ji Bus Center.
Take Keihan Electric Railway Ishiyama Sakamoto Line from Sakamoto-hieizanguchi station and transfer to the Sakamoto Cable. Get off at Cable Enryakuji Station.
Take Eizan Electric Railway from Yase-Hieizanguchi Station and transfer to the Eizan Cable/Ropeway. Get off at Hiei-Sancho Station.

Note:

For travel around Mount Hiei, a shuttle bus provides convenient transportation from the end of March until the end of November.
The Eizan Cable and Ropeway are closed during the winter season, except for January 1 to 3.

Source: keihan, Photos: The Konpon-chudo