Shiga-in Monseki Temple – The Charm of a Monzeki Temple Remaining in Sakamoto

【Highlights】
・Anoshu-style stone walls and white plaster walls lining the temple approach, characteristic of Sakamoto’s townscape.
・The dignified atmosphere of a Monzeki temple, once serving as the residence of successive imperial princes.
・A nationally designated scenic garden, attributed to Kobori Enshu.
・Historic interiors featuring artworks such as Kano school fusuma paintings.

【History and Culture】
Shiga-in Monseki Temple is a Monzeki temple said to have been relocated in 1615 by the great monk Tenkai from Hosshoji Temple in Kitashirakawa, Kyoto. It later received the name “Shiga-in” from Emperor Go-Mizunoo.

Until the end of the Edo period, the temple served as the residence of successive imperial princes who became Tendai abbots. As a Monzeki temple connected to the imperial family, it preserves a dignified atmosphere that reflects its high status and history.

Along the temple approach, Anoshu-style stone walls and white plaster walls create a scene characteristic of Sakamoto’s historic townscape. Their quiet beauty gives visitors a sense of the refined culture that developed at the foot of Mount Hiei.

The temple also features a nationally designated scenic garden attributed to Kobori Enshu, a master of early Edo-period garden design. Inside the historic buildings, visitors can admire artworks including Kano school fusuma paintings.

Shiga-in Monseki Temple is a place where the history of Mount Hiei, imperial Buddhist culture, and the traditional streetscape of Sakamoto can be experienced together.