Enryakuji Temple 延暦寺

During its peak, the Enryakuji temple complex had some 3,000 buildings. However, in 1571 the entire compound was burned down in a siege by the warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582). Nobunaga sought to unify all of Japan under his rule, and he destroyed many politically powerful temples that opposed him. Enryakuji was gradually rebuilt, and today consists of 150 halls and other buildings. The grounds are divided into three main precincts: Todo, Saito, and Yokawa, each with a main hall.

The Todo precinct is the core of Enryakuji and includes the treasure hall and the Konponchudo, the temple’s main hall. It houses statues of Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of medicine and healing, including one figure reputedly carved by Saicho himself. The vast hall also houses the temple’s eternally burning flame, which was lit in 788 and has never been extinguished. The Konponchudo is refurbished roughly every 60 years, always using the same zelkova and cypress wood and traditional copper roof tiles, and is designated a National Treasure.

The Saito precinct, roughly 1 kilometer north of Todo, is quiet and filled with cherry trees and camellias. Due to Mt. Hiei’s elevation, the cherry blossoms there bloom up to one month later than in the rest of the Otsu area. Amid such verdant surroundings the bright vermilion of the Jogyodo and Hokkedo halls stands out. The two identically shaped halls are joined by a small, covered walkway and are collectively called the Ninaido. Monks use each hall for a different kind of training.

The Yokawa precinct is on the northernmost part of Mt. Hiei and can be accessed by shuttle bus from the Todo precinct. Down a long pathway through maple trees that turn fiery red in autumn is the Ganzan Daishido. This hall is dedicated to Ryogen (912–985), a former abbot of Enryakuji known posthumously as Ganzan Daishi. He devoted himself to the revitalization of Enryakuji and is said to be the originator of omikuji, the fortune slips now popular at many shrines and temples in Japan.

Enryakuji Temple was founded in 788 by the priest Saicho (767–822) and is the head institution of the Tendai school of Buddhism. Enryakuji is also known as the “mother mountain” of Japanese Buddhism and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes many temples in Kyoto, Otsu, and Uji.

Its grounds cover roughly 1,700 hectares of forest atop Mt. Hiei in Otsu. During its peak, Enryakuji had some 3,000 buildings. However, in 1571, the entire complex was burned down by the warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582), whom the temple had opposed. Today, the Enryakuji grounds include 150 halls and other buildings. The grounds are divided into three main precincts: Todo, Saito, and Yokawa.

The Todo precinct includes the Konponchudo, Enryakuji’s main hall. The building is designated a National Treasure and houses the temple’s eternally burning flame, which was lit in 788 and has never been extinguished. The Saito precinct features the Ninaido, two conjoined halls where monks practice different forms of training.

In the Yokawa area is the Ganzan Daishido, a hall dedicated to Enryakuji’s former abbot Ryogen (912–985), who is also known as Ganzan Daishi. He is said to have originated omikuji, the fortune slips now popular at many shrines and temples in Japan.