Daikōdō (Great Lecture Hall)

The Daikodo at Engyo-ji temple on Mt. Shosha is one of the most important buildings in the complex. Built originally in the tenth century by Retired Emperor Kazan, the current structure dates to the fifteenth century and blends continental and Japanese architectural styles typical of the Tendai sect. At its center, a gilded Shakyamuni Buddha sits in a sunken chamber on a tapered lotus dais said to represent Mt. Sumeru, the cosmic mountain of Buddhist cosmology. The hall faces the Jogyodo across the courtyard, and both buildings are designated Important Cultural Properties.