ShigaLeisure

Shigain Monzeki (滋賀院門跡)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: Visit the head shrine of Japan's Hiyoshi and Hie shrines, its grounds enveloped by the forests of Mt. Hiei

About 15 min from the previous stop

About 45 min here

About 45 min to the next stop

Next stop: Claim a spot early on the fireworks-venue lakeshore, enjoying Lake Biwa before evening at the white-sand swimming beach

About this spot

Sakamoto is a historic town that developed as the temple town in front of Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei, and it retains a unique streetscape of Tendai-sect satobo (priests' residences) lining the approach to Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine. Shigain Monzeki is the venerable temple at its core, a prestigious monzeki temple whose head priests have included Emperor Go-Mizunoo and generations of imperial princes. Its garden, said to have been designed by Kobori Enshu, is designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty, its appeal lying in the calm beauty of carefully trimmed trees and white sand. The stone-walled lane built in the Anotai masonry style just outside the temple is also wonderfully photogenic, and simply strolling along it lets you settle into the unhurried atmosphere unique to Sakamoto.

Tips

About a 5-minute walk from Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine. Admission is 500 yen for adults. The stone-walled Satobo Kaido street in Sakamoto can be strolled for free. To continue on to Omi-Maiko, it's convenient to take the Kosei Line from JR Hieizan-Sakamoto Station, about 15-20 minutes to Omi-Maiko Station.