Daigoji Temple

Daigoji Temple is a Buddhist temple located in the southeastern mountains of Kyoto. It belongs to the esoteric Shingon tradition that puts emphasis on rituals to achieve enlightenment, and its main devotion is Yakushi. Founded in the early Heian period, and in 1994 it was designated as a World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. Several structures of the temple are also designated as National Treasures of Japan, including the five-story pagoda, which is the oldest building in Kyoto and one of the only buildings to survive the Onin War.
The temple grounds are vast and stretch well into the mountains, and parts are connected to local hiking trails. Daigoji is laid out in three parts: Sanbo-in, Shimo-Daigo, and Kami-Daigo. The first two are located at the base of the mountain and are fairly common for tourists to visit, but Kami-Daigo lies at the top of the mountain and requires a long, difficult hike to reach. The paths of Sambo-in in particular are lined with cherry trees, and it is a particularly popular place to visit during spring for hanami. Autumn is also a common time to visit Daigoji Temple, when the mountain foliage turns brilliant shades of red, yellow, and orange.