About Enkoji Temple and Daigyoji Shrine
Enkoji Temple and Daigyoji Shrine (圓光寺・大行事神社) stand side by side at Kunobe, Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, where the Enkoji main hall dated to 1257 (designated 1953), the Enkoji nine-storied stone pagoda inscribed with the Kogen era name (designated 1961) and the main hall of Daigyoji Shrine rebuilt in the mid-Muromachi period (designated 1943) are three Important Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Shiga Cultural Heritage Protection Association).
According to the Shiga Cultural Heritage Protection Association, Enkoji was formed by uniting Chofukuji, a Tendai temple said to have been founded by Saicho, with the Shinsei-school temple Enkoji, and now belongs to the Tendai Shinsei sect as Kankizan Chofukuin Enkoji. Daigyoji Shrine is said to have begun as the temple's guardian shrine and enshrines Takamimusubi no Kami. They are owned by Enkoji and Daigyoji Shrine respectively (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Three Properties
The Enkoji main hall is five bays square. A repair in 1704 turned it into a hip-and-gable building, but the 1956 dismantling restored its gabled form, rare for a temple main hall; its long front eave makes it look almost like a shrine (Shiga Cultural Heritage Protection Association, Biwako Visitors Bureau). Each of the three was designated an Important Cultural Property.
The nine-storied stone pagoda of the Kamakura period rises just inside the gate in front of the main hall and bears the Kogen era name. The Daigyoji Shrine main hall is a small one-bay nagare-style sanctuary with a cypress-bark roof, well preserved and elegant (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Shiga Cultural Heritage Protection Association).
Visiting and Location
According to the Yasu City Tourism Association, Enkoji is at 266 Kunobe, Yasu City, open from 9:00 to 17:00 for a donation, with parking for three cars. Take the Ohmi Railway bus (Kibe loop) from the north exit of JR Yasu Station for about 3 minutes to Kunobe, or walk about 13 minutes. Telephone 077-587-0172.
Daigyoji Shrine stands next to Enkoji, at 267 Kunobe.
References
- Enkoji Temple Main Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1452
- Enkoji Temple Nine-Storied Stone Pagoda (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1453
- Daigyoji Shrine Main Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1450
- Enkoji, Yasu: Important Cultural Properties near the Station (Shiga Cultural Heritage Protection Association)
- https://www.shiga-bunkazai.jp/shigabun-shinbun/best-place-in-shiga/%E6%96%B0%E8%BF%91%E6%B1%9F%E5%90%8D%E6%89%80%E5%9C%96%E4%BC%9A-%E7%AC%AC316%E5%9B%9E%E3%80%80%E9%A7%85%E8%BF%91%E3%81%A7%E9%87%8D%E8%A6%81%E6%96%87%E5%8C%96%E8%B2%A1%E3%81%8C%E6%A5%BD%E3%81%97/
- Enkoji (Yasu City Tourism Association)
- https://www.yasu-kankou.com/tourist/detail.php?id=67
- Enkoji (Biwako Visitors Bureau)
- https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/3932/
- Designated Cultural Properties of Yasu City (Yasu City)
- https://www.city.yasu.lg.jp/soshiki/rekishiminzoku/bunkazai/1450766178742.html
Last verified: 2026.10.11
Basic Information
| Name | Enkoji Temple and Daigyoji Shrine (Yasu) |
|---|---|
| Location | 266-267 Kunobe, Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Owner | Enkoji / Daigyoji Shrine |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (3) |
| Coordinates | 35.07355, 136.02586 |
