Enryaku-ji Temple

Information
Enryaku-ji Temple was founded in 788 by Saicho (Dengyo Daishi), the priest who established the Tendai school of Buddhism. As the headquarters of the Tendai school, the temple possessed some 3,000 temple buildings and an army of thousands of Sohei, or warrior monks at its height.
In 1581, Oda Nobunaga regarded the temple's growing power as a threat to his ambition to unify the nation, and he ravaged most of the temple buildings along with the monks inside.
Today, there are about 200 buildings in the temple grounds that are separated into three sections - Todo, Saito and Yokawa. The Todo section is the birthplace of the temple. It contains the Konpon Chudo Hall (Primary Central Hall) dates from 1642. This is the main hall of the temple and is also the largest hall in the temple. The Saito section, located about one kilometer north of Todo, contains the Shaka-do Hall dates from the Kamakura Period (1185 - 1333). This hall, moved from Onjo-ji Temple (Mii-dera) in 1596, is the oldest existing building in the temple. The Yokawa section, located about four kilometers north of Saito, contains the Yokawa Chudo Hall that is constructed in the Butai-zukuri (or platform) architectural style.
Enryaku-ji Temple was registered as a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto in 1994.
Opening Hours
- 8:30 - 16:30 (March - November)
- 9:00 - 16:00 (December)
- 9:00 - 16:30 (January - February)
Closed
- No closing days
Price / Entrance Fee
- 700 yen (General, Adult)
- 500 yen (Student)
- 300 yen (Child)
- Kokuho-den Treasure House: 500yen (General, Adult); 300 yen (Student) 100 yen (Child)
Access / Public Transport
- 70 minutes from JR Kyoto Station by the bus bound for Hieisanchou. Get off at Enryakuji bus center Bus stop.
- 14 minutes walk from Sakamoto Station on the Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line. Take the Sakamoto Cable Line at Cable Sakamoto Station and get off at Cable Enryakuji Station.
Related Links
Address / Location
- 4220, Sakamotohommachi, Otsu-shi, Shiga, 520-0116
Recommended
Tweets
Kanpai! Japan @KanpaiJapan - 2021-02-18
Kushikime @LewdsnReviews - 2020-12-28
satoko @smilexgratitude - 2020-11-15
Tokyo Weekender @Tokyo_Weekender - 2020-09-25
Kushikime @LewdsnReviews - 2020-09-01
Historical Events @hisdates - 2020-08-13
John @pasadenajohn - 2020-08-13
Stuart Webb @stuartwebb - 2020-08-13
Lotusbudding @Lotusbudding1 - 2020-08-08
Lotusbudding @Lotusbudding1 - 2020-08-08
Lotusbudding @Lotusbudding1 - 2020-08-08
Lotusbudding @Lotusbudding1 - 2020-08-08
Discover Japanese Culture and Learn the Language @japanculture4u - 2020-06-07
Tokyonobo @Tokyonobo - 2020-04-23
tempura.tv @TvTempura - 2020-02-06
erniesfo @erniesfo - 2020-01-19
SHIKIBU in Osaka, Japan🇯🇵, & I'm an iOS app dev. @SHIKIBU_Automat - 2019-12-16
Historical Events @hisdates - 2019-08-13
John @pasadenajohn - 2019-08-13
Tokyonobo @Tokyonobo - 2019-06-01
Tokyonobo @Tokyonobo - 2019-06-01
無神論者。卍 @Elucidatus - 2019-04-22
経験は最高の教師だ。卍 @Elucidatus - 2019-04-22
Seeing Japan @Seeing_Japan - 2019-01-18
Seeing Japan @Seeing_Japan - 2018-12-21
きくしー 🍓 @kixidoll - 2018-09-22
Tony @Tonylean - 2018-08-14
Historical Events @hisdates - 2018-08-13
John @pasadenajohn - 2018-08-13
Marina Amaral @marinamaral2 - 2018-08-13