Most viewed - Enryakuji Temple & Hie-zan Driveway 延暦寺・比叡山 |
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. MAP512 views
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Panoramic view of Lake Biwa from Mt. Hiei.349 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.339 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278 views
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View of Lake Biwa and Otsu from Enryakuji Station.275 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 Enryakuj263 views東塔, 西塔, 横川
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Bus service is also available along Hiei-zan Driveway.245 views
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Map of Saito complex in Enryakuji.221 views
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Map of Enryakuji's Todo complex.216 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.213 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.210 views
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Kompon Chudo temple188 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.185 views
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Yokawa Chudo Hall in Enryakuji, Mt Hiei, Otsu, Shiga. 183 views
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Shaka-do Hall, Enryakuji182 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.174 viewsEnryakuji is also part of a World Heritage Site called Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
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Lookout point along Hie-zan Driveway. This was my favorite.172 views
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Biwako Ohashi Bridge172 views
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View of Lake Biwa and Otsu. Omi Ohashi Bridge in the background. The towering building is Otsu Prince Hotel.172 views
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Views of Lake Biwa from Hiei-zan Driveway. The city of Otsu.163 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 1927.162 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.161 views
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Inside Daikokudo Hall155 views
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Slope going down to Konpon Chudo Hall155 views
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Map of Yokawa153 views
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Cable car151 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. 149 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149 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.146 views
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Manpai-do Hall144 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. T144 views
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Model of Mt. Hiei and Enryakuji.142 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.142 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.141 views
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Shoro bell tower 鐘楼141 views
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Way to Kompon Chudo Hall.140 views
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Konpon Chudo Hall has corridors.140 views
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Entrance to Enryakuji's Todo complex. Admission charged.139 views
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Inside Manpai-do Hall139 views
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Where you take off your shoes to enter Konpon Chudo Hall.139 views
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About Kompon Chudo (in English, Hangul, and Chinese). Enryakuji has multi-lingual signs explaining the important buildings.139 views
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Daikodo Hall 大講堂139 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.139 views
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Daikokudo Hall138 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.137 views
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136 views
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World Heritage Site plaque136 views
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Observation tower in Garden Museum Hiei, a tourist attraction on the summit of Mt. Hiei.135 views
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Cable car leaving Sakamoto.135 views
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Another nice building to photograph is this Hokke Soji-in Toto pagoda.135 views
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Sanno-in temple in Saito temple complex of Enryakuji.135 views
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About Ninai-do.134 views
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Garden Museum Hiei as seen from the lookout deck133 views
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Daikodo Hall133 views
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Photo of the altar inside through a narrow slit.133 views
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It was some distance to walk, but all downhill.133 views
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Monks131 views
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Roof corner of Konpon Chudo Hall, a National Treasure.131 views
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Monjuro altar with Manjusri bodhisattva (Monju bosatsu).131 views
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Cross a short bridge to Sanno-in temple.131 views
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Inside Yokawa Chudo Hall131 views
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View from cable car.130 views
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Offer 50 yen to ring the bell.130 views
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Picture panels telling the stories of Saicho and other founders.130 views
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Soundscape garden in front of Amida-do Hall.130 views
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If you go by bus, this is the entrance to Enryakuji from the parking lot.129 views
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Daikodo Hall129 views
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Inside the pagoda.129 views
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Enryakuji has numerous monuments.128 views
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Inside Monjuro128 views
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Inside Monjuro is an altar.128 views
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128 views
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Now I walked from Todo to the Saito temple complex.128 views
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Inside Amida-do Hall.128 views
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Sakamoto-Enryakuji Cable Car127 views
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Honen and Shinran127 views
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Steps to Kaidan-in temple127 views
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Amida-do Hall altar127 views
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Jodo-in temple127 views
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Ninai-do Hall consists of two halls connected by a corridor.127 views
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Inside Yokawa Chudo Hall are numerous little Buddha statues.127 views
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126 views
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Steps to Monjuro Gate which faces the Konpon Chudo.126 views
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Monjuro Tower 126 views
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126 views
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Amida-do Hall126 views
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How the pagoda was reconstructed.126 views
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126 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.126 views
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Monk with a nice car. 126 views
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Midway is this station called Horaioka.125 views
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Miyazawa Kenji poem monument125 views
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125 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.125 views
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About Amida-do Hall.125 views
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Minobuchi Benzaiten shrine125 views
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About Kaidan-in temple124 views
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Altar inside Yokawa Chudo Hall124 views
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Altar inside Yokawa Chudo Hall124 views
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About Ganzan Daishi-do Hall124 views
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Statue of Nichiren at Joko-in temple.124 views
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Entrance to Garden Museum Hiei123 views
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Enryakuji Station123 views
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123 views
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About Daikodo Hall.123 views
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Kaidan-in temple123 views
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People chanting in front of Shaka-do Hall.123 views
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About Yokawa Chudo Hall.123 views
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Inside 2nd floor of Enryakuji Station.122 views
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122 views
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Jodo-in temple121 views
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Entrance gate to Saito from the parking lot.121 views
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121 views
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Inside Ganzan Daishi-do Hall121 views
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Soothing sounds of water, etc., can be heard. Almost Zen-like.120 views
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Gate to Yokawa temple complex in Enryakuji.120 views
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Shoro Bell tower 120 views
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Gate to Ganzan Daishi-do Hall120 views
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Path to Joko-in temple.120 views
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Cable car back down to Sakamoto.120 views
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120 views
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Observation deck119 views
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119 views
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About St. Shinran at Enryakuji.119 views
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Tatsugaike Pond and Benzaiten shrine119 views
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118 views
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Door of Amida-do Hall118 views
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About Jodo-in temple118 views
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118 views
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Buddha's giant footprints.118 views
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About Shaka-do Hall118 views
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View during the bus ride.118 views
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Stilts of Yokawa Chudo Hall, the main hall in Yokawa.118 views
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Ganzan Daishi-do Hall118 views
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Joko-in temple.118 views
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Joko-in temple.118 views
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Shaka-do Hall altar117 views
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117 views
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Cable car back down to Sakamoto.117 views
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Site where Saint Shinran trained at Enryakuji.116 views
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Inside Shaka-do Hall116 views
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There are these small Buddha statues all over Yokawa.116 views
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Gyo-in training hall (not open to the public).116 views
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About Eshin-do temple 116 views
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Benzaiten116 views
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Ganzan Daishi-do Hall115 views
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About Sekizan-gu Shrine 115 views
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Tsubaki-do Hall.114 views
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Site where Saint Shinsei trained at Enryakuji.114 views
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Shaka-do Hall114 views
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About St. Shinran114 views
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Konpon Nyoho-to pagoda114 views
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Yokawa Chudo Hall balcony114 views
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Sekizan-gu Shrine 114 views
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Eshin-do temple 114 views
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On the right is Hokke-do Hall.113 views
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Steps to Shaka-do Hall, the main hall in Saito.113 views
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People chanting in front of Shaka-do Hall. They are ordinary folk undergoing a training program.113 views
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113 views
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Konpon Nyoho-to pagoda113 views
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113 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.112 views
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Buddha's giant footprints.111 views
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Site where St. Honen trained at Enryakuji. Right next to Shaka-do.111 views
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111 views
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Yokawa Chudo Hall111 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.111 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.111 views
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Grave110 views
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On the left is Jogyo-do Hall.108 views
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Bell tower 106 views
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Statue of Nichiren at Joko-in temple.105 views
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The entrance pathway has picture panels explaining about the famous founders of Japanese Buddhist sects.103 views
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