Thanks to the people who have protected and preserved it, we can still enjoy the spectacular view that has been loved since the Heian period. Currently, approximately 3,000 maple trees line the grounds of the temple. Some of them have been grown from seedlings and replanted by monks. Look for the small trees.

The Shakado, a shoin-style building, is said to have been constructed about 400 years ago. In front of the Imperial Gate, where the emperor's imperial envoys used to enter and exit, there is heaped sand, and it is said that they used to purify themselves by stepping on this sand.

Satisfy your appetite for knowledge as you check out the seven wonders of Eikando, including the "Amitabha to ward off fire," which was not lost during the Onin War and survived the fire; the "Tokko no Matsu," which generally has three pine needles instead of two; and the "Garyu Ryo," a steep, curved staircase that looks like a dragon's body.

The Dabotou (pagoda) stands at the top of the 140 stone steps leading up from the Mikageido. As if as a reward for completing the climb, the view of Kyoto city, including the Kyoto Gyoen, Mt. Atago-yama, and the left Daimonji character, is spread out in the western direction from Eikando.