Saikyoji Temple is the head temple of the Tendai Shinmori Sect (a branch of Tendai Buddhism) located in Sakamoto, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, at the eastern foot of Mount Hiei, famous for Enryakuji Temple. Its official name is “Tendai Shinmori Sect Headquarters Temple: Kaikozan Kenposho Saikyoji Temple.
- The “Three Birds” is the temple crest of Saikyoji Temple.
- Saikyoji Temple” was founded by Prince Shotoku and restored by the monk Shinmori.
- Saikyoji Temple was rebuilt by Mitsuhide Akechi, who became a lord after the temple was burned down by Nobunaga Oda.
- Highlights of Saikyoji Temple
- Access to Saikyoji Temple
- Parking around Saikyoji Temple
- Official Website Saikyoji Temple
- Recommended around Saikyoji Temple
The “Three Birds” is the temple crest of Saikyoji Temple.
This bird, which is symmetrical in composition with two birds on either side and one bird in front on top, is a “sparrow”. The emblem of the Tendai Shinmori Sect is “three sparrows”…which means the emblem of the sect.
Saikyoji Temple” was founded by Prince Shotoku and restored by the monk Shinmori.
According to legend, the temple was founded by Prince Shotoku, although it is now the head temple of the Tendai Shinmori Sect.
However, there is no historical record that can assert that Prince Shotoku founded the temple, and it is only mentioned in the “Saikyoji Engi” written in later times and in geographies of the modern period.
It was a monk named Shinmori who entered the temple in 1486 during the Muromachi period (1336-1573) and made Saikyo-ji prosper.
He entered Enryaku-ji at the age of 19 and spent the next 20 years in ascetic practice.
After his descent from Enryaku-ji in 1485, he became famous as a master of preaching, and it is said that his lectures at court were attended by royalty and court nobles.
After entering Sikyō-ji Temple, he focused on revitalization and proselytization, making it the head temple of the Tendai Shinmori Sect.
Saikyoji Temple was rebuilt by Mitsuhide Akechi, who became a lord after the temple was burned down by Nobunaga Oda.
In 1571, the whole area of Mt. Hiei was burned down by Oda Nobunaga.
Saikyoji Temple was also burned to the ground along with Enryakuji Temple and other temples, and not only monks and priests but also women and children who had fled to the temple were slaughtered (the number of victims was said to be as many as 4,000).
After the burning, Akechi Mitsuhide, a vassal of Oda and the main character in the 2020 NHK historical drama “Kirin ga Kuru,” entered Sakamoto, where Saikyoji Temple is located.
Akechi Mitsuhide was one of those who participated in the burning of the castle, but when he was given Sakamoto, he used it as a base to rebuild the Hieizan area, and Saikyoji Temple, which was geographically close, was the first to receive Mitsuhide’s support and later became his family temple.
Saikyoji Temple also has valuable items related to Akechi Mitsuhide, including a letter of donation (not open to the public) from Akechi Mitsuhide, who donated rice to Saikyoji Temple as a memorial service for his men who died in battle.
Highlights of Saikyoji Temple
Saikyoji Temple, the family temple of Mitsuhide Akechi, has a number of buildings and other structures that are worth seeing.
The first is the “main hall.
The main hall was rebuilt in 1739 (donated by the Kishu Tokugawa family) three years after the temple was burned down in 1571, and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property.
The main statue of Amida Nyorai (Important Cultural Property) is enshrined inside.
Next is the Kyakuden.
The Kyakuden was moved from the old hall of Fushimi Castle in 1598 (donated by Otani Yoshitsugu’s mother), and is designated as an Important Cultural Property in the Momoyama style.
Inside are sliding door paintings by Eitoku Kano and a seated statue of Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha), both designated as Important Cultural Properties.
Other features include the main gate, which was moved from Sakamoto Castle by Akechi Mitsuhide, and a garden designed by Kobori Enshu (who served Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu).
The temple is also the family temple of Mitsuhide Akechi, so there are the “Tomb of Mitsuhide” and the “Tomb of his wife, Heiko, and other members of the Akechi family”.
Access to Saikyoji Temple
5-13-1 Sakamoto, Otsu-shi, Shiga 520-0113, Japan
Parking around Saikyoji Temple
Official Website Saikyoji Temple
Official site：http://saikyoji.org/