Cycling Enkoji Temple Kyoto

自転車で圓光寺へ

Tucked in an almost rural part of northeastern Kyoto is Enkoji Temple.

It sits close to the foot of Mt. Hiei, Kyoto's highest mountain, and is a short ride from either Manshuin or Shisendo.

Tokugawa Ieyasu founded Enkoji in 1601 in Fushimi, in the southern of Kyoto. The original mission of the temple was to promote learning and scholarship. As a result, monks and non-monks were allowed as to enroll as students.

In 1667, the temple was moved to the current location.

Within the temple, there is a small gallery-like building in which images and other items are displayed. Within this is a six-panel byobu, or screen, that was painted Okyo Maruyama.

Inside the main hall of the temple are screens and other items.

The garden is also beautiful.

Directions

It is a short ride up from Ichijoji Station on the Eiden Railway. Cross Shirakawa Dori (street) and continue straight up the slope. On your right there is the gate of Shisendo, the lovely hermitage. Enkoji is down the narrow street you rode past just before getting to Shisendo. It is down this street on the right.

Enkoji Temple

Open 9 - 4:30 pm. 400 yen for adults.
075 781 8025


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Shrine Gates Near Shisendo Temple

詩仙堂の近くの鳥居

On the slope up to Shisendo Temple from Kita Shirakawa Dori street, there is a large torii gate more or less in the middle of the road.

The road bends around the torii and large tree within its grounds.

Farther up, on the right, is Shisendo Temple. The area is dotted with temples and shrines, and makes for a good ride.

A good place to start would be Shugakuin Imperial Villa, for which permission is required to enter. Without it, you will not get in. A trip to the offices of the Imperial Household Agency, in Gosho, are required.

From there. it is a short rural ride to Manshuin, a Tendai sect temple founded in the 8th century. Continuing on, you come to Enkoji, other smaller temples, and then Shisendo itself.

Below left is an old road marker that reads "left for Enkoji Temple."

It is on the narrow street below the entrance to Shisendo Temple.

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Kyoto Graffiti Shisendo

京都落書き詩仙堂

On the narrow hilly streets close to Shisendo Temple are many of the traditional walls that delineate property lines and protect against intruders.

The walls are also divinely beautiful.

The main purpose of the ride was to visit, again, Shisendo.

It was built in 1641 by the poet Ishikawa Jozan (1583-1672), originally as a retreat for hermits.

Another visitor, one Kiyomizu Junji, pulled out his pen knife and signed his name on a nearby wall.

Access

Shisendo
27 Monguchi-machi, Ichijoji, Sakyo-ku,
Kyoto
Tel: 075 781 2954
Admission: 500 yen for adults

For those taking public transportation, get off at Ichijoji Station on the Eiden Railways. Walk east toward the hills in the distance (Mt. Hiei). Cross Shirakawa Dori (street) and continue straight. Walk up the slope. On your right you will come to the gate of Shisendo. Another option is to take the number #5 bus from Kyoto Station and get off at the Ichijoji-sagarimatsu-cho bus stop.

For those cycling, it is about 10 minutes from the Silver Pavilion and the Philosopher's Walk.


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