Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple

Daihonzan Eiheiji Temple is a Soto Zen Buddhist temple in Yoshida District, Fukui Prefecture. As a head temple of the Soto school, Eiheiji was founded as a training monastery for ordained practitioners, and it is regarded as a sacred place surrounded by 680-year-old cedar trees and moss-covered rocks. Because it remains an active place where training monks live and practice, it is recommended to visit with proper manners. Also note that setting mobile phones to silent mode is considered basic etiquette. At the training facilities, even general visitors can experience zazen meditation and shakyo sutra copying, and there are also overnight programs where you can try a stay that mimics temple training. It has earned two stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan and is popular not only in Japan but also with international visitors. In Umbrella Pine Pavilion (Kasumatsu-kaku), 230 ceiling paintings are displayed, allowing you to view works by artists active in the early Showa period. The temple also houses National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. To get there, take the direct express bus "Eiheiji Liner" from Fukui Station to Eiheiji Monzen in about 30 minutes.