Enryaku-ji
延暦寺
Founded in 788 by Saichō, this Tendai Buddhist headquarters on Mount Hiei hosts the famous kaihōgyō practice and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Enryaku-ji is a Buddhist temple located on Mount Hiei in Ōtsu and serves as the headquarters of the Tendai sect. It was founded in 788 during the Heian period by Saichō, also known as Dengyō Daishi, who brought the Tendai sect of Mahayana Buddhism to Japan from China. Enryaku-ji is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto" and is known for the practice of kaihōgyō, also known as the "marathon monks". At its peak, it was a vast complex with up to 3,000 sub-temples and warrior monks (sōhei) and was involved in succession disputes. In 1571, warlord Oda Nobunaga attacked and destroyed the temple as part of a program to remove potential rivals. The current structures of Enryaku-ji were reconstructed in the late 16th and early 17th centuries following a change of government.
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