Seasonal food,
Sanzen-in temple, also known as Kajii goten, is one of the 5 aristocratic temples of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. Saicho, a famous Japanese Buddhist monk who founded the Tendai sect of Buddhism built a small temple on mount Hiei after the war of onin and moved to Ohara. Using the most of the natural hilly landscape, you can find a small hut mainly used for Buddhist services and enjoy a relaxing walk around two beautiful Japanese gardens built around large ponds. The Shuheki-en and Yusei-en gardens. The main temple or paradise of peacefulness lies in the garden of Yusei-en surrounded by moss and beautiful Japanese cedar and maple trees. The ceiling of the hall that houses the Buddha is famous and is structured in an arch shape called "Funazoko-kei" which means the shape of a boat floor. The artwork of two bodhisattva sitting on each side of the Amida Buddha called "Honzon Amida nyorai" is a famous piece you can find within. If you wish, you are allowed to write a copy of the Sutra.
Jakko-in temple is a nunnery located up the stone path in the opposite direction of Sanzen-in temple from the Ohara bus terminal. Through the gates you will find the beautiful garden and structures of the main temple and study. The Migiwa pond and garden next to the main temple was depicted in the Japanese folktale “The tale of Heike” and is famous for its mysterious structure. The garden faces frontward from any angle.
A popular temple for its illumination events, originally built as a sub-temple built as an announcement hall of Shorin-in temple. With a beautiful view of mountains in the distance, a bamboo grove in arms reach and surroundings of short trees and bushes, take one step out from the sliding paper doors of the temple and feel like you’ve entered into a picture frame. The beautiful garden that expands right before your eyes is especially magnificent in the fall with the firing colors of the autumn foliage. The famous ceiling of the hallway is known as “Momoyama no Chi tenjo” (The Momoyama ceiling of blood). This is where the memorial service took place for the hundreds of men who took their own lives with their own swords at the battle of Fushimi Castle. Admission includes a serving of Matcha green tea and sweets. Sit back and enjoy a relaxing time at Ohara. Light up events take place in the spring and fall. Located 3 minutes on foot from Seryo.
Located just north of Sanzen-in temple. Jikko-in was constructed by Jikaku Enin (Disciple of Saicho, founder of Tendai sect) in purpose of practice Buddhist services and ceremonies with music and melody, a ritual he had brought back from China. Within the hall you can find instruments used in the study of musical chanting rituals a reproduced picture of 36 poetic genius of China. To the west of the prayer hall, you can find Kyurikakuin-teien, a garden landscaped for a relaxing walk around the pond. Here you can find a rare type of cherry blossom that buds in October and blooms throughout the fall and winter until the spring. Appreciate the best of fall and spring with the beautiful Keishin-en garden and pond.
Just up along the Rogawa-river outside Sanzen-in temple, you will find an old temple gate and the entrance to Raigo-in temple. A historical location of Buddhist chants and melodies in Ohara believed to be the origin of Japanese folk songs. Commonly known are Joruri, a type of sung narrative accompanied by Shamisen commonly heard in Japanese puppet theatre, Yokyoku, vocal music used in Noh theatre and Minyo another type of Japanese folk song usually describing tales about the lifestyle of common people in other regions. Every Sunday from 1:00pm, you can experience the authentic ritual of Buddhist chanting and melody. Here in the relaxing main temple, you can also find the rare wooden sculptures of Yakushi, Amida and Shaka, the 3 gods of Buddha plated with Japanese lacquer and gold leaf made during the Fujiwara reign between approx. 1200 － 1300.
The dojo hall of Myoho Buddhist prayer was founded by the Buddhist saint, Mokujiki-Shonin Tansei in 1609. The main Buddha's head piece was made by Tansei himself. You can also find the cave where the body of Tansei is preserved in a Sokushin Jobutsu method. (A Shingon tradition where it is believed that one becomes Buddha in its present physical body.) The sitting Amida Buddha figure is considered a significant national preservation.
