Saikyō-ji, Buddhist temple in Sakamoto, Japan.
Saikyō-ji is a Buddhist temple in Sakamoto, Japan, that gathers several wooden buildings around garden areas, including a main hall and a guest room with elaborately painted sliding doors. The compound also includes four separate garden layouts with stones, gravel and carefully placed plants.
The temple was founded in the 6th century by Prince Shōtoku and remained active through several eras. During the Heian period, it developed into an important training site for Buddhist monks and gained influence as a result.
The compound takes its name from a term meaning supreme enlightenment and now serves as the administrative center for a Buddhist school. Visitors can walk through rooms with painted screens showing scenes from religious texts.
The temple lies about 1.5 kilometers northwest of Sakamoto Station on the Keihan Railway and is reached by a road passing through a residential area. From there, walking paths begin that lead up toward Mount Hiei.
One of the gardens displays a stylized waterfall form made from stones, mimicking the motion of flowing water without using actual water. Another garden offers a view toward Lake Biwa, which changes depending on the weather.
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