Daigo-ji Temple

Daigo-ji Temple is a Buddhist temple for the Shingon Sect that stretches across Mt. Daigo, which is located southeast of Kyoto. It is split into two areas: Kami-Daigo (upper part of the mountain) and Shimo-Daigo (lower part of the mountain). The temple was founded during the early Heian Period in 874. At the time of its establishment, the temple was known as a place of training for monks, who gathered in the upper area of the mountain to study the esoteric teachings of Shingon Buddhism. Shimo-Daigo was later developed under the patronage of Emperor Daigo, but was subsequently destroyed during the Onin War in 1470, leaving only the Five-Story Pagoda intact. The mountainside was always renowned for its cherry blossoms, but Hideyoshi Toyotomi made it all the more famous by holding Daigo cherry blossom parties. It is designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

・The Five-Story Pagoda is the single remaining structure in Shimo-Daigo and also the oldest wooden structure in Kyoto
The Five-story Pagoda, which was the only building left intact after the Onin War, is known as Kyoto's oldest wooden structure and is now designated as a National Treasure. Shimo-Daigo, which had been once destroyed, was reconstructed when Hideyoshi began holding Daigo cherry blossom parties and took its current appearance with the Kon-do Hall (Golden Hall) standing at the center of the temple complex.

・A famous destination with roughly 1,000 cherry blossoms trees
Daigo-ji Temple has been well-known for its cherry blossoms since the Heian Period, with some 1,000 trees that include species such as prunus spachiana (weeping cherry), prunus yedoensis (somei-yoshino cherry), yaezakura (double cherry), and crasus jamasakura (wild cherry). The most famous cherry blossom tree is the 160-year old Taiko Shidarezakura (Taiko Weeping Cherry). Its magnificence can be seen within the Sanboin.

・Reihokan Museum preserves and exhibits valuable treasures belonging to Daigo-ji Temple
Reihokan Museum was opened in 1935 to preserve and exhibit the many valuable treasures belonging to Daigo-ji Temple. Three new repositories were constructed in 1979, and in 2001, a large exhibit hall was added to enshrine the temple's principle images of the Yakushi Sanzonzo (triad image of Yakushi Buddha) (National Treasures). Today, the museum houses over 75,000 National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, as well as over 100,000 other temple treasures, which are shown in special exhibits during spring and fall.