Miidera Temple

Perched on the slopes of Mount Hiei overlooking the sapphire waters of Lake Biwa, Miidera Temple has stood as a spiritual sanctuary for over 1,300 years. The sprawling complex encompasses over 100 buildings including the magnificent Kondo main hall, housing a secret Buddha revealed only once every 33 years. The temple's evening bell, one of Japan's most famous, has inspired countless poems while spring transforms the grounds into a tunnel of over 1,500 cherry trees.