Home > SHIGA 滋賀県 > Otsu 大津市 > Enryakuji Temple & Hie-zan Driveway 延暦寺・比叡山

Most viewed - Enryakuji Temple & Hie-zan Driveway 延暦寺・比叡山
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Headquarters of the Tendai Buddhist sect, Enryakuji is a large complex of temples, halls, buildings, and monuments on Mt. Hiei in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. It boasts buildings which are National Treasures. MAP497 views
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Panoramic view of Lake Biwa from Mt. Hiei.337 views
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Karasuma Peninsula in Kusatsu. There is a large lotus pond behind the windmill. About 20 min. by bus from JR Kusatsu Station.328 views
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View of Lake Biwa and Otsu from Enryakuji Station.267 views
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Konpon Chudo Hall is a National Treasure and Enryakuji's main worship hall and largest building. It enshrines Yakushi Nyorai, the buddha of healing and health. 根本中堂266 views
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Enryakuji has three temple complexes. The main and largest one is called Todo (Toto 東塔) seen on the left on this map. On the right is the Saito temple complex. The summit has a tourist attraction called Garden Museum Hiei which is not part of Enryakuj254 views東塔, 西塔, 横川
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Bus service is also available along Hiei-zan Driveway.237 views
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Map of Saito complex in Enryakuji.213 views
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Map of Enryakuji's Todo complex.207 views
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On the foot of Mt. Hie on the Shiga side is the temple town of Sakamoto. From here, take the cable car up to Enryakuji. Also accessible from Kyoto and by bus/car via the Hie-zan Driveway. Near JR Hiezan Sakamoto Station/Keihan Sakamoto Station.202 views
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Hokke Soji-in Toto pagoda on the left and the Amida-do Hall on the right. Enryakuji temple, Mt. Hiei, Otsu, Shiga.198 views
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View of Lake Biwa and Otsu from Enryakuji Station. The conical Mt. Mikami in Yasu can be seen on the right.178 views
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Kompon Chudo temple178 views
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Yokawa Chudo Hall in Enryakuji, Mt Hiei, Otsu, Shiga. 178 views
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Shaka-do Hall, Enryakuji174 views
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Further right of Saito is the third complex called Yokawa (横川). The three complexes are connected to each other by a road and walking path. It is possible to visit all three complexes in one day.166 viewsEnryakuji is also part of a World Heritage Site called Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
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View of Lake Biwa and Otsu. Omi Ohashi Bridge in the background. The towering building is Otsu Prince Hotel.165 views
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Lookout point along Hie-zan Driveway. This was my favorite.163 views
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Biwako Ohashi Bridge163 views
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Views of Lake Biwa from Hiei-zan Driveway. The city of Otsu.155 views
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Cable Enryakuji Station. This is the original Cable Enryakuji Station building that was used when the cable railway between Sakamoto and Mt. Hiei opened in 1927.155 viewsIt was Japan's longest cable car route (2025 meters) at the time. The first floor is the station, while the 2nd floor used to be a VIP room. The 2nd floor is now an exhibition hall and open to the public.
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Inside the cable car station building. Enryakuji is also accessible from the other side of the mountain, on the Kyoto side via the Eizan Cable Car.154 views
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Slope going down to Konpon Chudo Hall149 views
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Inside Daikokudo Hall148 views
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Map of Yokawa146 views
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Cable car144 views
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The inner courtyard of Konpon Chudo Hall. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to photograph inside the hall which has three lanterns with an eternal flame.143 views
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Cable car station in Sakamoto for Enryakuji. The ride is only 8 min. Japan Railways sells a set of discount tickets for the roundtrip cable car ride, Enryakuji admission, and shuttle bus pass. 142 views
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Manpai-do Hall140 views
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Inside Daikodo Hall are portraits and sculptures of founders of Japanese Buddhist sects. Honen, Shinran, Nichiren, etc. 大講堂140 views
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Approaching Konpon Chudo Hall or temple. Note that the Konpon Chudo (National Treasure), is undergoing a major renovations until 2025. Parts of it might be covered or closed to visitors. T139 views
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Monjuro tower houses a statue of the Manjusri bodhisattva (Monju bosatsu). It looks like a gate, but it's not.136 views
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Shoro bell tower 鐘楼136 views
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Model of Mt. Hiei and Enryakuji.134 views
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Way to Kompon Chudo Hall.134 views
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Konpon Chudo Hall has corridors.134 views
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Entrance to Enryakuji's Todo complex. Admission charged.133 views
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About Kompon Chudo (in English, Hangul, and Chinese). Enryakuji has multi-lingual signs explaining the important buildings.133 views
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Horaioka has a small cave where stone buddhas are stored. Said to have been made for the many people who died on Mt. Hiei during the feudal period.132 views
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Inside Manpai-do Hall132 views
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Daikokudo Hall132 views
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Where you take off your shoes to enter Konpon Chudo Hall.132 views
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Daikodo Hall 大講堂132 views
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Cable car leaving Sakamoto.131 views
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This Hokke Soji-in Toto pagoda was rebuilt by the Sagawa Kyubin courier service and other donations in Oct. 1980. The original structure was torched in the 16th century.130 views
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Entrance to Konpon Chudo Hall. Note that since 2016, the Konpon Chudo Hall is undergoing a 10-year renovation project. You may see scaffolding and certain parts might be closed to visitors.129 views
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World Heritage Site plaque129 views
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Another nice building to photograph is this Hokke Soji-in Toto pagoda.129 views
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Observation tower in Garden Museum Hiei, a tourist attraction on the summit of Mt. Hiei.128 views
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Sanno-in temple in Saito temple complex of Enryakuji.128 views
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About Ninai-do.128 views
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Garden Museum Hiei as seen from the lookout deck127 views
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Daikodo Hall126 views
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Photo of the altar inside through a narrow slit.126 views
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Cross a short bridge to Sanno-in temple.126 views
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Monks125 views
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Roof corner of Konpon Chudo Hall, a National Treasure.125 views
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Inside the pagoda.125 views
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Inside Yokawa Chudo Hall125 views
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View from cable car.124 views
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If you go by bus, this is the entrance to Enryakuji from the parking lot.124 views
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Monjuro altar with Manjusri bodhisattva (Monju bosatsu).124 views
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It was some distance to walk, but all downhill.124 views
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Offer 50 yen to ring the bell.123 views
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Soundscape garden in front of Amida-do Hall.123 views
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Sakamoto-Enryakuji Cable Car122 views
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Monjuro Tower 122 views
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Honen and Shinran122 views
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Daikodo Hall122 views
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Picture panels telling the stories of Saicho and other founders.122 views
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Inside Monjuro121 views
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Inside Monjuro is an altar.121 views
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Amida-do Hall altar121 views
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Ninai-do Hall consists of two halls connected by a corridor.121 views
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Inside Yokawa Chudo Hall are numerous little Buddha statues.121 views
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Midway is this station called Horaioka.120 views
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Enryakuji has numerous monuments.120 views
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Steps to Monjuro Gate which faces the Konpon Chudo.120 views
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About Daikodo Hall.120 views
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How the pagoda was reconstructed.120 views
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Altar inside Yokawa Chudo Hall120 views
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Monk with a nice car. 120 views
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Miyazawa Kenji poem monument119 views
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Steps to Kaidan-in temple119 views
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Kokuho-den is a museum of temple treasures. This is next to the parking lot. Admission charged, in addition to the Enryakuji admission fee.119 views
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About Kaidan-in temple119 views
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Amida-do Hall119 views
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Now I walked from Todo to the Saito temple complex.119 views
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Inside Amida-do Hall.119 views
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Jodo-in temple119 views
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Kaidan-in temple118 views
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Statue of Nichiren at Joko-in temple.118 views
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Inside 2nd floor of Enryakuji Station.117 views
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About Amida-do Hall.117 views
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Minobuchi Benzaiten shrine117 views
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Entrance to Garden Museum Hiei116 views
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People chanting in front of Shaka-do Hall.116 views
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Path to Ruri-do, the only building that was not torched by Oda Nobunaga in the 16th century. Unfortunately, it was too far for me to reach.116 views
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Altar inside Yokawa Chudo Hall116 views
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About Ganzan Daishi-do Hall116 views
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Jodo-in temple115 views
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Inside Ganzan Daishi-do Hall115 views
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Enryakuji Station114 views
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About Yokawa Chudo Hall.114 views
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Cable car back down to Sakamoto.114 views
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Soothing sounds of water, etc., can be heard. Almost Zen-like.113 views
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Entrance gate to Saito from the parking lot.113 views
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Gate to Yokawa temple complex in Enryakuji.113 views
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About St. Shinran at Enryakuji.113 views
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Cable car back down to Sakamoto.113 views
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Otsu-e picture. Details about Otsu-e here.113 views
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Observation deck112 views
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Tatsugaike Pond and Benzaiten shrine112 views
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Stilts of Yokawa Chudo Hall, the main hall in Yokawa.112 views
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Site where Saint Shinran trained at Enryakuji.111 views
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About Shaka-do Hall111 views
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Shoro Bell tower 111 views
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Gate to Ganzan Daishi-do Hall111 views
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Ganzan Daishi-do Hall111 views
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Joko-in temple.111 views
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Joko-in temple.111 views
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Shaka-do Hall altar110 views
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Gyo-in training hall (not open to the public).110 views
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About Jodo-in temple109 views
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On the right is Hokke-do Hall.109 views
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Inside Shaka-do Hall109 views
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View during the bus ride.109 views
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Ganzan Daishi-do Hall109 views
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Path to Joko-in temple.109 views
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Benzaiten109 views
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Door of Amida-do Hall108 views
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Site where Saint Shinsei trained at Enryakuji.108 views
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Shuttle buses run between all three temple complexes. I took the shuttle bus from Saito to Yokawa which was too far away to walk.108 views
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Konpon Nyoho-to pagoda108 views
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There are these small Buddha statues all over Yokawa.108 views
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Sekizan-gu Shrine 108 views
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Eshin-do temple 108 views
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Steps to Shaka-do Hall, the main hall in Saito.107 views
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Shaka-do Hall107 views
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About St. Shinran107 views
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About Sekizan-gu Shrine 107 views
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Tsubaki-do Hall.106 views
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People chanting in front of Shaka-do Hall. They are ordinary folk undergoing a training program.106 views
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Buddha's giant footprints.106 views
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Konpon Nyoho-to pagoda106 views
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Yokawa Chudo Hall balcony106 views
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About Eshin-do temple 106 views
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The Enryakuji shuttle bus runs every day between the cable car station, Toto, Saito, and Yokawa during March 21 to Nov. 30 from 10 am to 4:30 pm. They don't run that often so check the bus times.106 views
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Buddha's giant footprints.105 views
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Site where St. Honen trained at Enryakuji. Right next to Shaka-do.105 views
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Thank you for coming to worship. From here, I caught a shuttle bus back to the Enryakuji cable car station.105 views
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Yokawa Chudo Hall104 views
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Grave104 views
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On the left is Jogyo-do Hall.103 views
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Bell tower 102 views
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Statue of Nichiren at Joko-in temple.102 views
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The entrance pathway has picture panels explaining about the famous founders of Japanese Buddhist sects.99 views
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