Hyakusaiji Temple

Hyakusaiji Temple is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Higashiomi that was founded in 606—over 1,400 years ago—by Prince Shotoku. It was named Hyakusaiji after being modeled on Ryoun-ji Temple in Baekje. Hyakusaiji flourished from the Heian period through the medieval era, but it was completely destroyed by fire in 1498. After suffering repeated disasters, the buildings that remain today, including the main hall, were rebuilt from the early modern period onward. Among the statues, Buddhist paintings, and artworks that survived these hardships are many valuable cultural properties, including the secret Eleven-Faced Kannon (Juichimen Kannon Bosatsu). Throughout history, many notable figures visited the temple—such as Oda Nobunaga and the Jesuit missionary Luís Fróis in the Muromachi period, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, Kasuga no Tsubone, and Ii Naotaka in the Edo period. Today, it is also used as a filming location for TV dramas and movies. The main residence precinct, Kiki-in, which enshrines Amida Nyorai, features one of the largest temple gardens in Shiga and is designated as a Registered Cultural Property of Japan. By car, it is about 10–12 minutes from either Yokaichi IC on the Meishin Expressway or the Kotō Sanzan Smart IC.