Hieizan Enryaku-ji Temple, Otsu: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Hieizan Enryaku-ji Temple sits at the summit of Mount Hiei, straddling the border between Shiga and Kyoto prefectures at an elevation of roughly 848 meters. Founded by the monk Saichō in 788, it became the headquarters of Tendai Buddhism and once housed over 3,000 sub-temples before Oda Nobunaga burned most of the complex in 1571. Three main compound areas—Todo, Saito, and Yokawa—are spread across the forested mountaintop and connected by walking paths totaling about 5 kilometers. The temple holds UNESCO World Heritage status and is accessible by cable car from the Otsu side or by bus from Kyoto.