Enryaku-ji Temple (Mount Hiei), Shiga

Head temple of Tendai Buddhism atop Mount Hiei, between Kyoto and Shiga. During renovation, you can see its 1,200-year-old Eternal Light up close.

Shaka-do hall of Enryaku-ji in the Saito area, surrounded by tall cedar trees — Photo: Oilstreet, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Monjuro, a two-story red gate hall at Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei — Photo: baggio4ever, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The mountain temple called the "mother of Japanese Buddhism"

Enryaku-ji spreads across the top of Mount Hiei (Hieizan, 848 m), on the border between Otsu in Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto city, and is the head temple of the Tendai school of Buddhism. It began in 788 as Ichijo Shikan-in, a small hermitage built by the monk Saicho (also known as Dengyo Daishi), and in 823, after Saicho's death, it was granted the name Enryaku-ji.

Monks who studied here went on to found the Jodo, Jodo Shin, Rinzai, Soto and Nichiren schools, which is why it is called the "mother mountain of Japanese Buddhism". In 1571 it was badly damaged when Oda Nobunaga burned it, but it was later rebuilt with support from Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1994 it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

Three areas: Todo, Saito and Yokawa

Enryaku-ji is not a single building but the collective name for about 150 halls scattered across the mountain. The precincts are divided into three areas, Todo (the Eastern Pagoda area), Saito (the Western Pagoda area) and Yokawa, and a shuttle bus runs between them (not in winter).

At its heart is the Konponchudo in the Todo area, a National Treasure. Deep inside the hall is kept the Fumetsu no Hoto ("Eternal Light"), said to have burned since Saicho's time. It went out once in the 1571 burning, but was revived with a flame given back by Risshaku-ji in Yamagata Prefecture, which had earlier received a share of this fire.

The Konponchudo's great Reiwa-era renovation

A major renovation of the Konponchudo has been under way since 2016, planned to take about 15 years. During the work, the Shugaku Stage in the precincts lets you climb up to the height of the eaves and see the roof under repair up close (planned until around December 2026).

Since 8 January 2026, the omaedachi of the Konponchudo's principal image, the Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha), and the Eternal Light have been specially housed for a limited period in the Manpaido hall in the Todo area. An omaedachi is a statue that people pray to in place of the principal image. It is a chance to worship up close things that are normally kept deep inside the hall.

Getting to Mount Hiei

From the Shiga side, take the Sakamoto Cable from JR Hieizan-Sakamoto Station or Keihan's Sakamoto-Hieizanguchi Station up to Cable Enryakuji Station. The quickest route takes about 40 minutes.

From the Kyoto side, the Hieizan Drive Bus runs from Kyoto Station or Sanjo Station to the Enryakuji Bus Center in about 70 minutes. Alternatively, take the Eizan Railway from Keihan's Demachiyanagi Station to Yase-Hieizanguchi Station, then change to the cable car, ropeway and shuttle bus (about 70 minutes). Operating days and times vary by season, so check before you go.

Tips

The three areas are far apart, so allow plenty of time if you want to see them all. It is best to start with the Todo area, home of the Konponchudo.
The shuttle bus within the mountain and some other buses do not run in winter. If you visit in winter, check the operating status on the official website.
The special housing of the Eternal Light in the Manpaido is for a limited period only, and it may change depending on how the work progresses, so check the official website for the latest information.
Enryaku-ji also offers zazen (seated meditation) and shakyo (sutra copying) experiences, and shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) at its shukubo (temple lodgings).