Hyakusai-ji is the oldest temple in Omi. It was founded by Prince Shotoku in the year 606, more than 1400 years ago. It was created at the mid-point of Mt. Oshitate (771.8 m) for the sake of visitors from the Korean kingdom of Baekje, and drew inspiration from a temple in that nation that was called Ryu’un-ji in Japanese. Hyakusai-ji is located along the 35th parallel north, facing west; 880 kilometers away in that direction, beyond the other temples of Tarabo, Hieizan, and Jirobo (Mt. Kuraya), there lay the kingdom of Baekje. Many Korean visitors are said to have prayed at the temple while thinking of their distant homeland. Furthermore, climbing the stone temple path leads to an appreciation garden known for its spectacular view out over the world below. This is also a famous spot for fall scenery, with the crimson leaves spreading across the mountains of Hiei and Suzuka creating a stunning backdrop.
Tag Archives: Autumn Travel
Autumn In Japan: ‘Eikando Temple, Kyoto’ (Video)
Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji is the head temple for the Seizan branch of Japan’s Jōdo-shū Buddhist sect, located in Kyoto, Sakyō-ku. It was founded by Shinshō, a pupil of Kūkai, and is famous for its fall foliage and for its prominence in the past as a center of learning.
Autumn Travel Video: ‘Blue Ridge Parkway’ In The Great Smoky Mountains
“Sunday Morning” takes us along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to witness fall foliage. Videographer: Charles Schultz.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America’s longest linear park, runs for 469 miles (755 km) through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It runs mostly along the spine of the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains. Its southern terminus is at U.S. 441 on the boundary between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina, from which it travels north to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. The roadway continues through Shenandoah as Skyline Drive, a similar scenic road which is managed by a different National Park Service unit. Both Skyline Drive and the Virginia portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway are part of Virginia State Route 48, though this designation is not signed.