Tendai Sect Kongorinji Temple

Along with Hyakusaiji Temple in Higashi Omi and Saimyoji Temple in Koura Town, it is one of the three mountains of Koto known as one of the best places for viewing autumn leaves in Shiga Prefecture. The temple of the Tendai sect of Buddhism was founded by Gyoki Bosatsu in 741 during the Nara period.

The main hall, Daihikaku, built in 1288 to commemorate the victory in the Battle of Genko in the middle of the Kamakura period (1185-1333), is designated as a national treasure as a representative Japanese and Western-style building of the Kamakura period. The three-story pagoda, built in 1246, and the Nitenmon Gate, built in the Muromachi period (1336-1573) and originally a tower gate, are also designated as important cultural properties.

In addition to the halls and towers, there are many other Buddhist statues designated as important cultural properties, such as the seated statue of Jie Daishi, the third head of the Tendai sect, and the statue of Daikokuten Hanka, the oldest traditional statue of Daikokuten in Japan. The main deity of the temple is Saint Kannon Bosatsu, a secret Buddha said to have been created by Gyoki Bosatsu, and it is said to be opened only once in a lifetime by the head priest.

The temple is also a popular spot for viewing the autumn leaves, and from the beginning to the end of November every year, the entire mountain, including the Japanese maple trees, turn red all at once, making the temple grounds a sight to behold. The main hall, three-story pagoda, and other precincts decorated with red leaves are full of photogenic scenery, attracting many visitors. In particular, the red leaves in the scenic garden, which consists of three gardens created in the Momoyama period (1573-1603), the early Edo period (1603-1868), and the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868), are said to be the most beautiful in the three mountains of Koto.