Enryaku-ji 延暦寺
Kyoto, Japan UNESCO World Heritage Site
Enryaku-ji is a Tendai Buddhist temple established in 788 that is a National Treasure of Japan and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. It is also included in the New Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, the 49 Sacred sites of Saigoku Yakushi, and the Shinbutsu Reijō Junpai no Michi. It is the 62nd most looked-up sight in Japan on English Wikipedia.
Planning a visit
The weather is warmest in August, with daily highs around 29 °C, while January and February have the lowest highs at 5 °C. Rainfall is heaviest in June and July, which see about 285 mm of rain and between 15 and 18 rainy days per month.
To reach Enryaku-ji, travelers can use Osaka Itami International Airport, which is 49 km away, or travel 356 km from Tokyo. The temple is 0.5 km from Mount Hiei and is located near Ginkaku-ji (6.2 km), Shimogamo Shrine (7.1 km), the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (8.1 km), and the Kyoto Imperial Palace (8.8 km). Admission requires a fee. The temple is open daily: from March to November, it is open from 08:30 to 16:30; in January and February, it is open from 09:00 to 16:30; and in December, it is open from 09:00 to 16:00.
Weather by month
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 29 °C. The wettest is July, with about 285 mm of rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 5 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 20 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 25 | 18 | 13 | 7 |
| Average low, °C | -3 | -3 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 11 | 5 | -1 |
| Rainfall, mm | 107 | 117 | 163 | 158 | 216 | 284 | 285 | 166 | 240 | 172 | 114 | 97 |
| Rainy days | 16 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 17 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for this spot (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
