ABOUT
About this spot
Onjō-ji, popularly known as Mii-dera, is the head temple of the Tendai Jimon sect in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture. Its mountain name is Nagarasan, and its principal image is the hidden Buddha Miroku Bosatsu (Maitreya). The precincts spread over the slopes of Mt. Nagara on the southwest side of Lake Biwa and include national-treasure buildings and an Important Cultural Property bell tower. The temple is said to have been founded in the 7th century as the clan temple of the Ōtomo family. The popular name "Mii" (three wells) is said to come from a spring whose water was used to bathe the emperors Tenji, Tenmu and Jitō at birth. In 859 the priest Enchin (Chishō Daishi) took up residence and revived the temple; he later became head of the Tendai school. From around the 10th century, rivalry with Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei intensified, and the temple is said to have been burned to the ground seven times. Toyotomi Hideyoshi confiscated its lands in 1595, but allowed its revival in 1598, and the halls were rebuilt in the Keichō era. In 1946 it became independent as the head temple of the Tendai Jimon sect. The core attractions are Momoyama-period buildings. The Kondō (Main Hall), donated in 1599 by Kōdai-in, is a National Treasure, as are the Kangakuin Kyakuden (1600), a shoin-style building rebuilt with Toyotomi Hideyori as patron, and the Kōjōin Kyakuden (1601), rebuilt by Yamaoka Kagetomo. Among the temple's art, the painting of Fudō Myōō known as the "Yellow Fudō" is a National Treasure and counted among Japan's three great Fudō images; it is kept as a hidden treasure. The temple is also known for its bells. The bell hanging in the bell tower, called the "Evening Bell of Mii," is one of the Eight Views of Ōmi, and the bell tower is an Important Cultural Property. The ancient "Benkei's dragged bell," said to date to the Nara period, is also an Important Cultural Property, with legends linked to the feud with Mt. Hiei. The Kannon-dō is Temple No. 14 of the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, enshrining Nyoirin Kannon; it was moved to its present site in 1481, burned in 1686 and was rebuilt in 1689. In 2015 Onjō-ji was included in the Japan Heritage story "Lake Biwa and its Waterside Landscape." The grounds are large and sit on a mountain slope, so comfortable shoes are recommended. Allow about an hour and a half to two hours. Ōmi Jingu is about 2 km away, and Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji in Kyoto are about 5 km away. Opening hours and fees are revised from time to time, so check the official website before visiting.
Last updated October 18, 2026