MK Deep Dive: Enryakuji – The Sacred Fortress of Mount Hiei

On the border of Kyoto and Shiga, where mist cloaks the cedar-lined slopes of Mount Hiei, the Tendai school of Buddhism continues its thousand-year vigil. Monks walk the mountain in quiet loops of prayer. Incense seeps into the stone. And the esoteric mantras that once inspired the Beatniks still echo—though faintly—beneath the pine canopies. This is Enryakuji Temple, headquarters of Tendai Buddhism and spiritual crucible of Japan.

Konpon Chūdō, the main hall of Enryakuji Temple, rebuilt in 1642 and designated a National Treasure.

Founded in 788 by the monk Saichō (最澄), Enryakuji marks the dawn of a uniquely Japanese expression of Mahayana Buddhism. After studying in Tang China, Saichō returned with a bold revelation: enlightenment was not reserved for an elite few, but accessible to all. With imperial backing, he built a monastery on the secluded slopes of Hiei, requiring twelve years of disciplined training in isolation from all who would join the order. Though official state recognition came only after his death, the Tendai school flourished.

Portrait of Saichō (767–822), founder of the Tendai school of Japanese Buddhism.

By the 11th century, Enryakuji was more than a temple—it was a city of over 3,000 buildings and home to a formidable army of sōhei (warrior monks). But in 1571, fearing its political power, warlord Oda Nobunaga razed the complex in the Siege of Mount Hiei, killing thousands and reducing centuries of spiritual effort to ash. Today, only a fraction remains: three pagodas and 120 subsidiary structures, though the presence of something greater still lingers in the air.

Stone lanterns lining the path to the Saitō complex at Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei, Shiga Prefecture.

That air is thick—with vermillion, smoke, and memory. The walk to the summit sanctuary, Konpon Chūdō (根本中堂), takes visitors past moss-covered shrines and forest stillness interrupted only by the chants of pilgrims and the rustling of unseen wildlife. Inside the main hall, a National Treasure carved by Saichō himself still rests. The eternal light, said to have burned continuously for over 1,200 years, flickers beside it—rekindled each time it is passed down, just as the faith itself was.

Monks still live and train on-site. Some undertake kaihōgyō, a severe form of ascetic practice in which they walk up to 52 miles daily for 100 consecutive days (and up to 1,000 in the ultimate test), circling the sacred sites of Hiei while offering prayers to the invisible realm. Their path mirrors the ancient pursuit of clarity through bodily hardship—what one might call revelation by subtraction.

Shōchō Hagami, renowned Tendai monk and interfaith peace advocate, during the Sennichi Kaihōgyō—a 1,000-day ascetic pilgrimage on Mount Hiei.

Pilgrims and tourists alike are welcome. Meals, lodging, and short-term training programs are available by reservation for those serious about exploring Tendai’s austere path. But even a brief visit leaves an imprint. For the casual traveler, MK can escort you up by charter car to the base or drop you at the Sakamoto Cable Ropeway, the longest in Japan, for a more relaxed ascent. Whether you climb on foot, like the monks of old, or glide up in comfort, what matters is that you pause.

Panoramic drone view of Mount Hiei from the northeast, with the city of Ōtsu visible to the left.

Pause to look over Lake Biwa, gleaming to one side. Pause to listen to birds that have never been hunted, singing in a sanctuary where even killing insects is discouraged. Pause to wonder if the stillness is watching you back. Here, on what’s long been called the “Mother Mountain” of Japanese Buddhism, you may find not answers, but reminders—that nature was designed, that truth is personal, and that the path to the divine is walked with attention, not presumption.

Let MK be your private guide to Mount Hiei’s sacred shadows

With custom charters, bilingual driver-guides, and rare local insight, MK takes you beyond the surface of Japan’s spiritual heartland—one silent footstep at a time.

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Image Credits

• Konpon Chūdō Hall at Enryakuji: Photo by 663highland, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

• Portrait of Saichō: Public domain image, Ichijō-ji Temple collection, via Wikimedia Commons

• Stone lantern path at Saitō complex: Photo by nobu3withfoxy, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

• Shōchō Hagami during the Sennichi Kaihōgyō: Photo by BELIGHT2018, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

• Panoramic drone view of Mount Hiei: Photo by Benlisquare, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)