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ENRYAKUJI TEMPLE
Enryakuji Temple Kyoto is a World Heritage Site and a National Treasure.
Enryakuji Temple is a monastery overlooking Kyoto.
Enryaku Temple is located on Mount
Hiei, Shiga, but overlooks nearby Kyoto. In 788, a famous monk called Saicho (Dengyo) established Enryakuji Temple, which is Tendai sect of Buddhism. Over the years, Enryaku Temple was expanded and became a big complex of temples.
Many significant monks in Japan, such as Nichiren, Honen, Shinran, Ennin and Ryogen studied here before they started their own sects. Most of the original buildings were burnt through the several civil wars. The current buildings were rebuilt in 17th century. Today, it is still the center of Japanese Buddhism, taking a significant role in Japanese Buddhism and many monks come here for hard training. Enryakuji Temple is a National Treasures and figures among the "Historic
Monuments of Ancient Kyoto" designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage
Site.
Major facilities in Enyakuji Temple:
Daikodo: Great Lecture Hall - a hall for monks throughout Japan to study/train Buddhism. Many significant monks in Japan, such as Nichiren, Honen and Shinran, studied here before they started their own sects. You can find the statues of those monks within Daikodo.
Daikodo, Enryakuji Temple
Kaidan-in: Ordination Hall
Hokkesoji-in: the central treasure tower of Tendai Buddhism
Suikinkutsu: is translated literally 'water koto' or 'harp hole'. This is a specially constructed underground pot or barrel that performs like the strings on a koto or harp as water drips into it.
Shakado: The statue of Shakamuni Buddha which was made by Dengyo is enshrined in this building.
Story of Great Monks: There are panels which tell you the story of great monks in Japan.
Bussokuseki: Shakamuni's footprint statue.
Yokawa Chudo: After studying in China for 10 years, Ennin (Jikaku Daishi) became the chief priest of Tendai sect at Enryakuji Temple and established this main hall in Yokawa area. A stage-like structure, Yokawa Chudo appears like a floating boat when you look at the whole thing. The center is sunken into a depth of about 2 meters.
Sekizangu Shrine: This shrine was also established by Ennin (Jikaku Daishi) after his trip to China.
Keishin-in: This temple was built for Gansan Daishi (Jie Daishi) by Fujiwara Kaneie. Eshin Souzu (Genshin) studied and wrote a significant sutra called ‘Ojoyoshu’ here.
Gansan Daishi-do (Shikikodo): Gansan Daishi-do is the old site of the house of Gansan Daishi (Jie Daishi). Later it became to be called Shikikodo (Four Seasons Lecture Hall) as lectures of Hokke-Kyo were given here during each of the four seasons. Gansan Daishi (Jie Daishi) is enshrined in this building.
