Chomei-ji, Buddhist temple in Takanodai, Japan
Chomei-ji is a Buddhist temple on a hilltop in Takanodai, Japan, overlooking Lake Biwa. The grounds hold a main hall, a three-story pagoda, and a bell tower spread across the site.
The temple is said to have been founded in the 8th century by an imperial envoy who had a vision of the goddess Kannon on the shores of Lake Biwa. A fire in 1516 destroyed the whole complex, which was later rebuilt during the Muromachi and early Edo periods.
Chomei-ji is the 31st temple on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, one of the oldest Buddhist pilgrimage routes in Japan. Pilgrims dressed in white robes still walk this route today, moving from temple to temple around the Lake Biwa area.
Reaching the main hall requires climbing a long stone stairway that winds through bamboo groves, so sturdy footwear is a good idea. The climb takes some time, so it is worth planning your visit without rushing.
Behind the main hall, ancient stone megaliths rise from the ground, suggesting that this site was used for worship long before the temple was built. These rocks make the temple grounds a prehistoric sacred site as much as a Buddhist one.
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