Nara Prefecture

Mountains are sacred places in many cultures for reasons ranging from the inspirational views from the summits and their impressive heights (which are said to reach the heavens) to the fact they are often a source of water and, therefore, life. Japan has several sacred mountains, three of which are in Kansai. Hieizan Next to Lake Biwa (the largest lake in the country) is Mount Hiei, also called Hieizan. The most important site on the mountain is Enryakuji Temple, the headquarters of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. The temple dates back around 1,200 years. It was built by a monk called Saicho, who brought the Tendai form of Buddhism to Japan from China. Many monks came to study at Enryakuji and subsequently established their own sects. Saicho also introduced tea plants to Japan and espoused the benefits of drinking green tea. Today, the Enryakuji Temple is divided into three areas linked by walking trails (although you can also take buses to travel between them). In the past, the temple grounds were much more extensive, and there were thousands of smaller temples, but these have since been destroyed. You can reach Hieizan from Kyoto by taking the Keihan Railway. If you’d…