Mii-dera Temple (Onjo-ji)

Mii-dera, formally Onjo-ji, spreads across a wooded hillside above Lake Biwa and is counted among the four great temples of Japan, serving as headquarters of the Tendai Jimon sect since the late 9th century. Its name, meaning 'temple of the three wells,' refers to a spring on the grounds traditionally said to have been used for the ceremonial first baths of three emperors, and the small structure enclosing that spring still stands near the main hall. The grounds are large enough to explore for well over an hour, taking in the Kondo main hall, a five-story pagoda relocated from Nara in the 16th century, a bell tower housing the temple's own bonsho bell (distinct from the 'crying bell' displayed in a separate hall with its own legend), and a small museum of temple treasures. Spring brings one of the more understated but extensive cherry blossom displays in the Otsu area across the sprawling grounds, while November brings maple foliage concentrated around the pagoda and inner precincts. Because the temple complex is large and spread across varied terrain, a full visit covering the main halls, pagoda, and bell tower takes about 1.5 hours, and the site is generally less crowded than betterknown temples in nearby Kyoto despite its comparable historical standing.