Great view of a Lake Biwa from snow-covered mountain
I went to Mt. Hiei lying lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures last Sunday. There are some famous temples called Enryakuji. It is famous for the main temple of Tendai sect of Buddhism founded by Saicho. It was burned in a fire by Nobunaga Oda in 1571 but it was rebuilt.
I can’t say I really know much about Buddhism but I knew the name of the place. However, I felt the silent beauty when I stepped into one of temples in Enryakuji. I cannot explain the feeling but I think old and holy temples make the atmosphere. I’m sure that other tourists didn’t talk loudly and remain silent. I think it is natural that many famous writters cover this temple in their novels. Maybe it’s my imagination, but I got the feeling that resident priests glared at me with a grim look in his eyes because I am a lighthearted university student and I was not used to the formal and holy place.
By the way, the view from the mountain was so beautiful! We can look over a glitter of Lake Biwa from the snow- covered mountain. I paid high tollage to get on Okuhiei Wrive Way but the view was worth paying. Though it was terribly cold, I got out of my cay several times and took some photos. I did not have my degital camera and a camera with cell-phone was broken so it’s too bad I cannot post the pictures on this blog. When I got to Mie, I felt Mie was so warm and comfortable.
I went up to Hieizan on a quick trip to Kyoto back in July. As you can see in the few photos I took, it was a drizzly day, and the mountain was shrouded in fog.
Posted 3 years, 11 months agoAlso, I doubt the monks really disapprove of “lighthearted university students”. I once spent a night up on Koyasan. The monks were very kind — and they do some excellent vegetarian cooking. I failed to meet the Swiss monk Kurt Kübli who lives there — yet judging from the feature on him, he doesn’t seem so grim and disapproving either…
Posted 3 years, 11 months agoThank you for your photos. The photos give of a strange aura becasu of the weather. If it is sunny,I guess Hieizan is comfortable in summer, isn’t it?
Posted 3 years, 11 months agoYou had a wonderful experience. I haven’t eaten any vegitarian cooking by monks. I know that I shouldn’t judge people on face. Maybe a case in point was monks I met. However, I wanted to see their smile…
Mayu has just posted a few photos of Hieizan.
Posted 3 years, 10 months agoI saw the pictures she took. You understand my impression of the view, aren’t you? In fact, I went to Hieizan with Mayu. I hope she enjoyed the trip.
Posted 3 years, 10 months agoAh — you went there with Mayu. That explains the coincidence. =)
Yes, Lake Biwa is beautiful. I went up to Mt. Hiei by bus and unfortunately didn’t get such a great view of it; first because of the trees and then, higher up, because of the fog.
Posted 3 years, 10 months ago