妙法寺

Overview

Myohoji is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai school in Sakuragawa, Ibaraki. Set in the countryside northwest of Mount Tsukuba, it carries on the Tendai teachings whose head temple is Enryakuji on Mount Hiei. Standing in a calm, hill-framed setting, it is a simple, unassuming temple well suited to travelers who wish to offer quiet prayers.

Highlights

• ●A quiet Tendai-school temple in the countryside of Sakuragawa
• ●A calm setting in the peaceful hills northwest of Mount Tsukuba
• ●Surroundings wrapped in spring color, in the blossom land of Sakuragawa
• ●Simple, tranquil grounds well suited to prayer

History

Detailed records of its founding are limited, but the temple belongs to the Tendai school. Tendai was established on Mount Hiei by Saicho, known as Dengyo Daishi, and served as a mother mountain of Japanese Buddhism that produced many renowned monks. Sakuragawa has long been famed as a place of cherry blossoms, and Myohoji, standing quietly in that countryside, has likewise carried on local faith. For its precise history and principal image, please refer to official sources.

Map

36.3641, 140.0569 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Arrive in Sakuragawa and enjoy the peaceful rural scenery
2. 2Visit Myohoji for a quiet moment of Tendai prayer
3. 3Walk the grounds and nearby countryside to savor the season
4. 4Head to Sakuragawa's cherry-blossom spots to end the journey

Did you know?

💡 The head temple of the Tendai school is Enryakuji on Mount Hiei, on the border of Kyoto and Shiga. Sakuragawa, where the temple stands, has been praised since ancient times as a cherry-blossom landmark, likened to Yoshino in the west.

Nearby spots