# Enryaku-ji, Japan: what it is and when to go

> Enryaku-ji is a Buddhist temple in Shiga Prefecture, Japan (延暦寺) (Ōtsu). Interests: History and Temples. The best time to visit is February to May and October to November. In June there are 14 h 21 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 39. It has articles in 31 Wikipedias: it is one of the fifty best-known places in Japan on this site. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/enryaku-temple/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-02
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **What it is:** Buddhist temple in Shiga Prefecture, Japan · History, Temples
- **Local name:** 延暦寺
- **Where:** Japan
- **Best time:** February to May and October to November.
- **Nearest airport:** KIX Osaka, 91 km as the crow flies
- **Opening hours:** Jan-Feb Mo-Su 09:00-16:30; Mar-Nov Mo-Su 08:30-16:30; Dec Mo-Su 09:00-16:00
- **Website:** [hieizan.or.jp](https://www.hieizan.or.jp/)
- **Protection:** UNESCO World Heritage Site
- **Coordinates:** 35.08346, 135.84389

## What it is and where

Enryaku-ji is a Buddhist temple in Shiga Prefecture, Japan (延暦寺) (Ōtsu). It has articles in 31 Wikipedias: it is one of the fifty best-known places in Japan on this site.

It is in [Ōtsu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/otsu/), where this site lists 58 more places to see, 8.8 km from the centre.

Its coordinates are 35.08346, 135.84389; the nearest main airport is Kansai International Airport (KIX, Osaka), 91 km as the crow flies. How to get around Japan (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#moverse).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=35.083462%2C135.843892)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=35.083462%2C135.843892)

- **Protection:** UNESCO World Heritage Site

It is one of the [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/historia/) and [Temples](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/espiritual/) places in Japan. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap.

## When to go

The best time to visit Enryaku-ji is **February to May and October to November**.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Possible | 9 h 53 |
| February | Best time | 10 h 44 |
| March | Best time | 11 h 44 |
| April | Best time | 12 h 53 |
| May | Best time | 13 h 51 |
| June | Possible | 14 h 21 |
| July | Possible | 14 h 09 |
| August | Possible | 13 h 19 |
| September | Possible | 12 h 12 |
| October | Best time | 11 h 05 |
| November | Best time | 10 h 07 |
| December | Possible | 9 h 39 |

In June there are 14 h 21 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 39. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather.

| What you come for | Best time | Possible |
| --- | --- | --- |
| History | February to May and October to November | December to January and June to September |
| Temples | February to May and October to November | December to January and June to September |

It is not the same trip whatever you come for: Enryaku-ji has a different season depending on what you want to do here, and [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) puts it in the right month for you.

When to go to Japan in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#cuando-ir).

## Before you go to Japan

To enter Japan there are 10 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “A valid passport covering your whole stay”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the Japan checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Japanese yen (JPY); plugs: Type A and B · 100 V · 50/60 Hz (you need an adapter); emergencies: 110 police · 119 ambulance and fire.

In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it.

## What is nearby

- [KYOTO TRAIL KITAYAMA 11-1:12](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kyoto-trail-kitayama-11-1-12/): Hiking · 540 m
- [KYOTO TRAIL KITAYAMA 9-2:11-1](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kyoto-trail-kitayama-9-2-11-1/): Hiking · 1.0 km
- [KYOTO TRAIL KITAYAMA EAST1](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kyoto-trail-kitayama-east1/): Hiking · 1.0 km
- [KYOTO TRAIL KITAYAMA 12:16-1](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kyoto-trail-kitayama-12-16-1/): Hiking · 1.3 km
- [KYOTO TRAIL KITAYAMA 7:9-2](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kyoto-trail-kitayama-7-9-2/): Hiking · 1.5 km

Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the Japan guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/).

## More in Japan: History

- [Mount Fuji](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/monte-fuji/): volcano in Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, Japan
- [Kiyomizu-dera](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kiyomizu-dera/): Buddhist temple in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
- [Himeji Castle](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/himeji-2/): Japanese castle complex
- [Hiroshima Peace Memorial](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/cupula-de-genbaku/): architectural structure
- [Itsukushima Shrine](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/santuario-itsukushima/): Shinto shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
- [Kinkaku-ji](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kinkaku-ji/): Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan

Every Japan place under History, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/historia/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Enryaku-ji?

It is a Buddhist temple in Shiga Prefecture, Japan (延暦寺 in the local language). It has articles in 31 Wikipedias: it is one of the fifty best-known places in Japan on this site.

### When is the best time to visit Enryaku-ji?

February to May and October to November. In June there are 14 h 21 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 39.

### How do you get to Enryaku-ji?

The nearest main airport is Kansai International Airport (KIX), 91 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=35.083462%2C135.843892) opens the route on the map, and how to get around Japan is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#moverse).

### How do I add it to my trip?

With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the Japan map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby.

### What else is around here?

Nearby you have [KYOTO TRAIL KITAYAMA 11-1:12](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kyoto-trail-kitayama-11-1-12/), [KYOTO TRAIL KITAYAMA 9-2:11-1](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kyoto-trail-kitayama-9-2-11-1/), [KYOTO TRAIL KITAYAMA EAST1](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kyoto-trail-kitayama-east1/). The rest is in [the Japan guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/).

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/6045350), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q917195), CC0. More about Enryaku-ji on [Wikipedia](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BB%B6%E6%9A%A6%E5%AF%BA). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).