High on the mountain at Hōshuzan Risshakuji Temple, better known as Yamadera (“Mountain Temple”), two important buildings stand beside the rugged cliffs: Nokyodo Hall and Kaizando Hall.
Both halls are important symbols of Yamadera’s long history and religious traditions and are located toward the latter part of the pilgrimage route up the mountain. In particular, the small red Nokyodo perched dramatically on the rock face is one of the most iconic views of Yamadera.
Sheer cliffs, deep valleys, and dense forests surround the buildings, creating a remarkable landscape in which nature and architecture appear to become one. The sight of historic halls standing amid the rugged mountain terrain conveys the distinctive culture of Risshakuji, where the mountain itself has long served as a place of religious practice and worship.
Nokyodo Hall is a small structure standing near the top of a sheer cliff known as Hyakujoiwa at Yamadera. It is traditionally regarded as a place where Buddhist scriptures copied at Myoho-do Hall in Okunoin were dedicated and stored, giving the building its name, which means roughly “Sutra Offering Hall.”
The building is extremely small, measuring just one bay by one bay. Its pillars are positioned directly on the rocky surface, while the roof is constructed in a Hōgyō-zukuri pyramidal style and covered with copper sheets. It is traditionally believed to have originally had a wooden-shingle roof.
Records indicate that Nokyodo was built in 1599. It is regarded as the oldest surviving building within the Yamadera temple grounds. Despite centuries of exposure to the rugged mountain environment, it remains standing on the cliff and is carefully preserved as one of the temple’s most important historic structures.
At Risshakuji, monks have traditionally practiced sutra copying as part of their Buddhist training. Copying scriptures was not a task that could be completed quickly, and some lengthy works are said to have taken several years to finish.
The completed scriptures were dedicated to Jikaku Daishi Ennin as the fruits of religious practice and were traditionally placed in Nokyodo. Perched in such a difficult location, the hall is therefore more than simply an old building—it is a place that conveys the history of monastic training and religious devotion at Yamadera.
Nokyodo, standing on top of the rocky cliff, is one of the most recognizable images associated with Yamadera and frequently appears in photographs introducing the temple.
The combination of the small red hall, gray rock cliffs, and surrounding greenery creates a landscape that is distinctly characteristic of Risshakuji.
When viewing the building, it is worth considering not only its unusual architecture but also why a hall was built in such a rugged and inaccessible location. Doing so offers a deeper appreciation of the religious traditions that shaped Yamadera.
Kaizando Hall stands beside Nokyodo and is dedicated to Jikaku Daishi Ennin (794–864), the monk who founded Risshakuji.
A wooden statue of Ennin is enshrined inside, and offerings of food and incense continue to be made every morning and evening. As a place dedicated to the founder of the temple, Kaizando is one of the most important sites of worship at Yamadera.
Risshakuji is a Tendai Buddhist temple traditionally said to have been founded in 860 by Jikaku Daishi Ennin in accordance with an imperial prayer of Emperor Seiwa.
Ennin studied Tendai Buddhist teachings at Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei before traveling to China to further his studies of Buddhism. After returning to Japan, he helped spread Tendai teachings throughout the country. Risshakuji developed as one of the temples closely connected with his religious activities.
Kaizando preserves the memory of the beginnings of Risshakuji. The hall, standing among the mountain rocks together with the continued worship of Ennin, is a powerful symbol of Yamadera’s long history.
Kaizando normally remains closed to visitors, but on January 14, the anniversary of Jikaku Daishi Ennin’s death, a memorial ceremony is held and the doors are opened for a special viewing.
The daily offerings and incense, together with the annual memorial ceremony, demonstrate how devotion to the founder has continued across the centuries.
Below Kaizando, a naturally formed cave can be found beneath the cliff. According to tradition, the remains of Jikaku Daishi Ennin are buried there in a golden coffin.
Kaizando, the cave below it, and nearby Nokyodo are all closely connected with the founding of Risshakuji and its religious traditions. Their placement along the steep cliffs also demonstrates how Yamadera has used the mountain’s natural terrain to create its sacred landscape.
The Yamadera pilgrimage begins at the entrance a short walk from Yamadera Station. One of the first major buildings encountered is Konpon Chudo, the main hall of Risshakuji, where a standing statue of Yakushi Nyorai and the Eternal Buddhist Flame, traditionally said to have been brought from Enryakuji on Mount Hiei, are preserved.
Beyond Konpon Chudo, visitors encounter a statue of Matsuo Bashō and a monument inscribed with his famous haiku, “Silence—the sound of cicadas sinking into the rocks.” These sites reveal Yamadera’s deep connection with Japanese literature.
As visitors continue upward, the route passes the Treasure Hall, Nenbutsudo, and Hie Shrine before reaching Ubado Hall. Ubado is traditionally regarded as a symbolic boundary between hell and paradise, and it is said that pilgrims once purified themselves here before continuing toward the upper mountain.
Further along the route are Semizuka, associated with Bashō’s famous cicada haiku, and Midahora, a naturally sculpted rock said to resemble Amida Nyorai. Continuing upward, visitors reach Niomon Gate, beyond which several temple buildings are scattered along the mountainside, including Seishoin, Konjoin, Chuseiin, and Kazo-in.
Toward the latter part of the pilgrimage route, the path follows the cliffs and leads toward Kaizando, Nokyodo, and eventually Godaido. From the trailhead to Okunoin, visitors climb a total of 1,015 stone steps, and each step is traditionally understood as part of a spiritual practice.
According to the religious tradition of Yamadera, ascending the stone steps represents gradually freeing oneself from worldly desires and purifying the mind and body. When Nokyodo and Kaizando finally appear among the rugged cliffs, the experience can make visitors especially aware of the history and religious traditions that have shaped Risshakuji.
Near Kaizando, a narrow stone staircase continues upward. At the end of this path stands Godaido Hall, dedicated to the Five Wisdom Kings.
Built so that it projects outward from the cliff, Godaido offers a sweeping view over the Risshakuji temple grounds and the valley below. After visiting Nokyodo and Kaizando, continuing to Godaido allows visitors to experience not only Yamadera’s religious heritage but also its spectacular mountain scenery.
Yamadera is also famous as the place where the celebrated haiku poet Matsuo Bashō composed one of his best-known poems. In 1689, Bashō visited Yamadera with his disciple Kawai Sora and, after experiencing the profound silence of the temple grounds, composed the famous verse, “Shizukesa ya / Iwa ni shimiiru / Semi no koe”, commonly translated as “Silence—the sound of cicadas sinking into the rocks.”
At Risshakuji, temple buildings are scattered along the mountainside and surrounded by dense forest, creating a quiet atmosphere far removed from the bustle of urban areas.
Walking among the cliffs and looking toward Nokyodo and Kaizando, visitors can imagine the stillness that Bashō experienced here and appreciate the distinctive atmosphere that has long characterized Yamadera.
The setting of Nokyodo and Kaizando is very different from the grounds of a typical temple. Sheer rock faces, forests, valleys, and other natural features form the landscape itself, while the temple buildings are carefully positioned within this rugged environment.
Nokyodo, in particular, stands directly against the dramatic cliffs and symbolizes the way nature and architecture have become inseparable at Yamadera.
As visitors look at these historic structures while surrounded by the mountain landscape, they can gain a deeper appreciation of Risshakuji’s distinctive character as a place shaped by mountain worship and Buddhist practice.
Nokyodo conveys the history of religious practice through its traditional role as a place for dedicating hand-copied Buddhist scriptures, while Kaizando preserves the memory of Jikaku Daishi Ennin, the founder of Risshakuji.
The two halls stand side by side and serve different purposes, yet together they represent important aspects of Yamadera’s long history and tradition of spiritual practice.
The red Nokyodo perched on the sheer cliff and Kaizando, dedicated to Jikaku Daishi Ennin, form one of the most memorable scenes along the upper pilgrimage route. Beyond them, the spectacular panorama from Godaido awaits.
By climbing the stone steps one at a time, visitors can experience the unique Yamadera landscape where nature, history, and faith overlap.
When visiting Yamadera, take time not only to admire the dramatic scenery but also to consider the religious traditions and history embodied by Nokyodo and Kaizando. Doing so can turn a visit to these remarkable mountain halls into a deeper and more memorable experience.