Mt. Hiei: The "Mother Mountain" of Japanese Buddhism

Overview

Mt. Hiei straddles the border between Kyoto and Shiga Prefecture. The entire mountain represents Enryakuji Temple. The temple, with a history of more than 1,200 years, is renowned for its rigorous spiritual training. It was founded by the monk Saicho in 788. He taught the importance of strictly disciplining oneself while serving others. Many monks who trained on Mt. Hiei went on to found other schools of Buddhism, earning Mt. Hiei the nickname of the "mother mountain" of Japanese Buddhism.