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Edited by: Declan Murphy Recommended: Suggested Itineraries Favorite Kyoto moments... Best ways to get there Kyoto Photogallery Newsgroups: fj.rec.travel.japan, Alt-FAQ Bulletin Boards: Fun/Clubs/Nightlife Accommodation/Discounts Practise your Kanji?

"if the thunder rolls for a while and the sky is clouded,
bringing rain, then you will stay beside me.
even when no thunder sounds and no rain falls,
if you but ask me, then I will stay beside you."
Kakinomoto Hitomaro

For many centuries, the Japanese have considered Enryakuji temple, situated atop Mt. Hieizan, northeast of Kyoto, to be one of the spiritual centers of their culture. A stop here would be an ideal way to spend a morning or afternoon hiking, exploring temples, and enjoying the atmosphere of one of Japan's important historical sites.

The temple, which is the headquarters for the Tendai sect of Buddhism, was founded more than 1,200 years ago by the Chinese priest Saicho (767-822), who at the request of the Emporor Kanmu, built the complex atop Hieizan to protect Kyoto from the evil spirits believed to come from the northeast. Because police were barred from entering the temple grounds, criminals began to gather here, supposedly to seek religious enligntenment. The temple even raised its own army for the purpose of self protection. By the 16th Century, the temple had grown to a complex of more than 3,000 buildings and its military force was powerful enough to threaten Kyoto, the city it was originally responsible for protecting. Most of the structures were destroyed in 1571 when Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), in his efforts to unify Japan, attacked the temple, destroying most of the buildings and killing thousands of monks and soldiers in the process. As it presently stands, the temple represents a small fraction of its original size.

Enryakuji consists of three sections: The Todo (East Gate), the Saito (West Gate), and the Yokawa. The temples most important buildings are concentrated in the Todo and include the Kokuhoden, the Daikodo, the Kompon Chudo, the Kaidanin, and the Amida do. The Kokuhoden, for which there is a separate admission fee of 450 yen, contains an extensive array of statues, among which is an elegant 13th Century Amida Buddha, as well as a beautiful Senju Kannon (1,000 armed Kannon), which dates from the 9th Century. Here one can also see a scroll that apparantly is an account of Saicho's trip to China in the year 804. The Daikodo, or Great Lecture Hall, is where the monks attend lectures on the sutras and have discourses on doctrinal points. In this building there are life size statues of Eisai, Shinren, Honen, Nichiren, and other illustrious names from the past. The temple's most sacred building is the Kompon Chudo (Primary Central Hall). This structure dates from the 16th Century, and allegedly marks the spot where Saicho built his first hut. His statue of Yakushi Nyorai is housed in this grand building, but it is not on public display. An unusual feature of the hall is that the altars are in a sunken area below the worship floor, creating the illusion that they are floating amidst an undulating haze of inscense smoke lit by low burning lanterns. Legend has it that the three large lanterns in front of the main altar have been burning contiunously for the past 1,200 years, ever since Saicho himself first lit them. Others mainain that the lanterns did go out after Oda Nobunaga's attack, making it necessary to send a monk to Yamadera to bring back a light from the sacred flame, which itself came from Enryakuji. Beyond the Kompon Chudo is the Kaidanin, or the Ordination Hall, and beyond that is the Amidado. Behind the Amidado is a stone path that takes you through the woods to the Saito section.

Along the stone path that leads to the Saito, you will come across a red laquered building stading in the middle of a meticulously tended enclosure. This is the mausoleum that houses Saicho's remains. Further down the path there stand twin structures, the Jogyodo (Hall of Perpetual Practice) and the Hokkedo (Lotus Hall), which are used for different types of meditation. In the Jogyodo, monks walk around the altar for days, reciting the Buddha's name. In the Hokkedo, monks alternate between standing and sitting meditation while studying the Lotus Sutra. Together, these two buildings are called the Ninaido or, roughly translated, "shoulder carrying hall". The name appearantly is a reference to Benkei, a famous fighter and swordsman of Japanese mythology, who posessed such physical strength that, according to legend, he once lifted two buildings onto his shoulders like a yoke. Further down the path, beyond these two buildings, is the Shakado (Shaka Hall), which dates from the Kamakura Period, and which marks the center of the Saito. The Shakado was originally built on the shores of Biwako, but was moved to it's present location in 1595 to replace the earlier hall destroyed by Nobunaga's armies. The structure, though much older, is not as large or as atmospheric as the Kompon chudo. The building enshrines a figure of Shaka Nyorai (the Historical Buddha), but again, this is kept from public view. Otherwise, the Shakado is the same as the Kompon chudo, with the sunken altars and the three lanterns.

How to get to Enryaku-ji

From Kyoto there are several ways to get to Hieizan and Enryakuji. If travelling by train, probably the most convenient route is from Sanjo-Keihan station, in central Kyoto, to Hieizan Sakamoto station. Sakamoto is near the base station for the funicular railway that runs up the Hiezan to the temple, which is why it's so convienent. From northern Kyoto, you can take the Eidan/Eizan Line from Demachiyanagi station to Yase-Yuen, and from there, take the Eizan cable car to the temple. For JR Rail Pass holders, take the JR Kosei Line from Kyoto station to Eizan. To get fare information and a timetable for the cable railway from either Sakamoto or Yase-Yuen, it is recommended that you inquire at the TIC (Tourist Information Center) in Kyoto.

If travelling by bus, take either route 17 or 18, both of which run from Kyoto Station to Ohara. Get off before Ohara, at the Yase-Yuenchi bus stop, and from there it's a short walk to the cable car station. From Sanjo-Keihan station (Central Kyoto), you can take the number 16 bus to Ohara. Again, get off at the Yase-Yuenchi bus stop. There is also direct bus service from both Kyoto and Sanjo-Keihan stations to Enryakuji. Again, it is recommended that you check with the TIC in Kyoto regarding specific departure times and fare information.

The Japan Discovery Tours also visit Enryaku-ji.
Click here for more information regarding when Discovery visits this destination.

Kyoto Discovery tours, Suggested Itineraries

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