Immerse Yourself in Japan’s History & Culture! The Complete Sightseeing Guide to Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei

From Kyoto City, there are two main ways to access Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei.

If you’re heading to Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei from Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, start from JR Hieizan-Sakamoto Station. It’s Approx. 20 minutes on foot from JR Hieizan-Sakamoto Station to Cable Sakamoto Station.
You can also use a bus or taxi, but since the route features traditional scenery and Enryaku-ji sub-temples along the way, walking is recommended.
From Cable Sakamoto Station, take the Hieizan Railway Sakamoto Cable and get off at Cable Enryakuji Station.
From Cable Enryakuji Station, you can reach Konpon Chudo, Enryaku-ji’s main hall, in Approx. 7 minutes on foot.
Since there are only Approx. two cable cars per hour, be careful not to miss one.

Todo is where Saicho founded Enryaku-ji, and it centers on Konpon Chudo, the main hall of Enryaku-ji.
Key buildings are gathered here, including the National Treasure Konpon Chudo, the Daiko-do (designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan), and the Amida-do, whose bell tower is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
The “Eternal Dharma Lamp,” which has remained lit for Approx. 1,200 years, is also enshrined in Todo.
Todo is also home to the Enryakuji Bus Center, offering convenient access to the summit of Mount Hiei as well as the Saito and Yokawa areas, and you can also use route buses bound for central Kyoto or the Sakamoto Cable to descend to Sakamoto in Otsu City.
Approx. sightseeing time is 1–2 hours.
If you plan to eat within the area, allow an extra hour.

Saito is located about 1 km north of Todo.
Historic buildings are gathered here, including Shaka-do, Saito’s main hall and a nationally designated Important Cultural Property; Jodo-in, where Saicho’s remains rest; and Jogyodo and Hokke-do, which legend says were carried in their entirety by Benkei.
There is also the training hall Koshirin, where you can actually experience Buddhist practice.
From Todo to Saito, it takes Approx. 5 minutes by shuttle bus.
On foot, it takes around 20 minutes.
From Yokawa, it takes around 10 minutes by shuttle bus.
For sightseeing in Saito, 30 minutes should be enough.

Yokawa is located about 4 km north of Saito.
It features Yokawa Chudo, a stage-style main hall modeled after ships used by envoys to Tang China; Shikiko-do, said to be the birthplace of omikuji fortunes; and Konpon Nyoho-to, a tahoto pagoda that once housed Buddhist sutras hand-copied by Jikaku Daishi Ennin, who helped establish the Tendai sect.
From Todo to Yokawa, it takes Approx. 15 minutes by shuttle bus.
On foot, it takes over 100 minutes via the Tokaido Nature Trail.
From Saito, it takes around 10 minutes by shuttle bus.
Approx. sightseeing time for Yokawa is around 40 minutes.

Konpon Chudo, located in Todo, is Enryaku-ji’s largest hall and serves as its main hall.
It’s a historic landmark, with the building designated as a National Treasure and the surrounding corridor designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
At the place where the principal image of Konpon Chudo is enshrined, you can see the “Eternal Dharma Lamp,” an oil lamp that has remained lit for 1,200 years.
This is a spot you should обязательно visit when sightseeing at Enryaku-ji.

Saicho planned to build treasure pagodas at six locations across Japan to calm the nation and pray for the happiness of the people.
After Saicho’s death, all of the pagodas were completed.
The Hokke Soji-in Todo Pagoda plays an important role in overseeing those pagodas.
It is also well known as a banner for cultivating “national-treasure-level” people.
It was destroyed in Oda Nobunaga’s attack by fire, but was rebuilt in 1980, about 400 years later.

Near Konpon Chudo is Daiko-do, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property.
Although it was originally founded in 824, it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, and the current building was relocated in 1963 from Sanbutsu-do in Sakamoto at the foothills.
Inside Daiko-do, in addition to the principal image of Dainichi Nyorai, wooden statues of the founders of various sects—such as Honen and Shinran, who trained on Mount Hiei—are enshrined.
At the place of worship, you can see portraits of eminent monks connected to Buddhism and the Tendai sect.

Amida-do stands at the highest elevation in Todo.
It is a training hall built in 1937 to commemorate the 1,150th anniversary of Enryaku-ji’s founding.
Amida Nyorai is enshrined as the principal image, and it is used as a place to honor ancestors.
Another highlight is the richly colored decoration around the ceiling, in a style from the late Heian period to the mid-Kamakura period.
Don’t miss the bell tower in front of the hall, which is also designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

Monju-ro is located at the top of the high stone steps in front of Konpon Chudo.
This important two-story gate serves as the main gate of Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei.
If you climb Honzaka, the most well-known trekking route up Mount Hiei, this is the first gate you’ll pass through.
Monju Bosatsu, the deity of wisdom, is enshrined here, and the gate draws crowds of students praying for academic success, including those hoping to pass entrance exams.

Kaimonzan Mangetsu-ji is a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect’s Daitokuji school, located on the lakeshore south of the Lake Biwa Bridge. Within its grounds, a hall stands across a bridge extending out over Lake Biwa. Because it looks as if it’s floating on the water, it’s called Ukimi-do, and it’s one of Lake Biwa’s most scenic spots.
It’s also renowned as “Katata no Rakugan (Wild Geese Descending at Katata),” one of the Eight Views of Omi selected in the Muromachi period. Since the Edo period, it has been beloved by many haiku poets and literati, who left behind poems and works inspired by Ukimi-do.

Standing in the northwest part of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, this is the oldest grand shrine in Omi, said to have been founded over 2,000 years ago. A vermilion grand torii gate stands in the lake across National Route 161, and the view—reminiscent of Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, Hiroshima—has earned it the nickname “Itsukushima of Omi.”
It is the head shrine of the many Shirahige Shrines across Japan and enshrines Sarutahiko-no-Okami. True to its name, “Shirahige (white beard),” it has long been worshiped as a deity of longevity and is believed to bring blessings for long life.

Built Approx. 2,100 years ago at the foot of Mount Hiei, this is the head shrine of the roughly 3,800 Hiyoshi, Hie, and Sanno shrines across Japan. Since it lies in the northeastern direction (the “kimon,” or unlucky direction) from the ancient capital, it has been revered as a shrine that wards off evil and prevents misfortune, and also as the guardian deity of nearby Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei. Its blessings include “houyoke,” protection from direction-related misfortune, and “yakuyoke,” protection from life’s misfortunes before they happen.

A resort hotel that enjoys a prime location just a short walk from Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu Station, while also sitting along the shores of Lake Biwa and offering lake views from inside the property.
Five room types are available, and every room offers a panoramic view of Lake Biwa.
Across the lake, Mount Hiei and the Hira mountain range stretch out, creating a truly spectacular contrast of blue and green.
You can enjoy a relaxing, restorative time in an extraordinary setting.

A “shopping street hotel” created by renovating seven traditional townhouses over 100 years old in central Otsu, built around the concept of “Stay in the town, eat, drink, and shop.”
The reception building, “Omiya,” and “Chaya,” which has a guest-only lounge, stand along the old Tokaido road and together offer eight rooms.
In every room, tables and chairs from top brands such as Arne Jacobsen and Finn Juhl are thoughtfully placed, creating a calm atmosphere with a touch of luxury.

A 38-story high-rise hotel designed by architect Kenzo Tange.
It also features one of Japan’s largest convention halls and is used for a wide range of purposes, including events, exhibitions, and international conferences.
Guest rooms are spread across three floors—the EIZAN Floor, Sky Floor, and Lake Floor—and from any room, you can relax while taking in views of Lake Biwa and mountain ranges such as Mt. Hira.