Chomei-ji, Buddhist temple in Takanodai, Japan
Chomei-ji is a Buddhist temple situated on a hilltop overlooking Lake Biwa. The complex contains a main hall, a three-storied pagoda, and a bell tower arranged across the site.
The temple was originally built at this location but lost its structures when fire destroyed the site in 1516. Later, the buildings were reconstructed during the Muromachi and early Edo periods.
This temple holds a place on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, an important Buddhist pilgrimage route that visitors can still follow today. The site draws people who come to walk this traditional path in the area around Lake Biwa.
To reach the temple, visitors must climb a long flight of stone steps that winds through bamboo groves. Wearing comfortable shoes and allowing time for the climb is strongly recommended.
Ancient stone megaliths rise from the ground behind the main hall, revealing that this location was used as a worship site long before the temple was built. These rocks point to a prehistoric past that existed before the Buddhist structure.
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