Mii-dera, Buddhist temple in Ōtsu, Japan
Mii-dera sits at the base of Mount Hiei near Lake Biwa and comprises more than forty buildings spread across multiple levels connected by stone pathways. The complex contains halls, gates, pagodas and shrines scattered among ancient cedars and pines.
Emperor Tenmu founded the temple in 672 to honor his brother Emperor Tenji following the Jinshin War, a succession conflict. Over the following centuries, the complex endured destruction through conflicts with rival Enryaku-ji and was repeatedly rebuilt.
The complex serves as the headquarters of the Tendai-jimon school and houses monks who maintain ancient rituals and sutra recitations. Visitors often see worshippers coming to the sacred springs to collect water for ceremonies and prayers.
Access to the grounds involves walking on stone steps and paths, with some sections that may challenge wheelchair users. Exploring the entire complex typically takes two to three hours, depending on individual pace.
The temple's name comes from springs used for the ritual bathing of newborn emperors Tenji, Tenmu and Jitō, which gave the site the name Mii-dera, or Temple of Three Wells. The bell known as Benkei's Pulled Bell was stolen during a raid by Enryaku-ji monks in 1264 and returned by order of the shogunate in 1267.
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