2025年4月18日2025年7月24日

After getting off the train, you can walk up the slightly uphill approach to Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine and arrive in the town of Sakamoto. The approach is a modern road with cars running down the middle, but the sidewalks on both sides are paved with stone walls and cobblestones, retaining the atmosphere of medieval Japan.

Old stone lanterns stand in the grass beside the sidewalk, and old cherry and maple trees spread their branches. In spring, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and in autumn the maples turn bright red. The trunks of the trees are also covered in moss.

A town that retains traces of medieval Japan

There are stone walls everywhere in this town. People who were skilled at building stone walls have lived in the nearby village of Anao since ancient times. They had the skills to build sturdy stone walls using natural stones without processing them. They were called the Anoushu and were active from the Muromachi period to the Sengoku period. They were a professional group similar to the mason guilds and masons of medieval Europe.

The stone walls they built were not only sturdy but also beautiful. They gained a reputation as “Anoushu-zumi" and were adopted for many castles and temples. Oda Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle was also built with Anoushu-zumi. They also built the stone walls of the Satobo in Sakamoto. Satobo is a residence for high-ranking monks who trained at Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei and retired from the mountain when they grew old. They built it with faith.

Satobo are lined up on both sides of the approach to the temple, forming a street. The buildings and large gardens are surrounded by stone walls and hedges. Walking along the narrow paths of the moss-covered stone walls of the Satobo, you feel as if time has stopped. There is a silence here that is not found in other tourist destinations.

Sakamoto is a city with a long history.

Sakamoto is a town built on an alluvial fan created by a river flowing out of Mount Hiei. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Biwa. Located to the east of Kyoto across Mt. Hiei and facing Lake Biwa, Sakamoto became an important port where goods from the eastern provinces and Hokuriku region gathered. It also developed as a temple town, with the location of Enryaku-ji Temple on Mt. Hiei, Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, and Saiko-ji Temple.

During the Sengoku period, the 12th and 13th shoguns of the Muromachi shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Hosokawa Harumoto, were defeated by Miyoshi Nagayoshi and fled here. During the Azuchi-Momoyama period, Akechi Mitsuhide built Sakamoto Castle, but after Mitsuhide was defeated in the Battle of Yamazaki following the Honnoji Incident, his senior vassal Akechi Hidemitsu set the castle on fire. Copper coins have also been minted in Sakamoto since ancient times. In the Edo period, circulating coins called Kyo-sen were minted. Dutch merchants called Kyo-sen “Sakamoto" and exported them to China and Southeast Asia.

It takes 16 minutes by train from the world-famous tourist destination Kyoto to Sakamoto.

During the Sengoku period, the 12th and 13th shoguns of the Muromachi shogunate, Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and Hosokawa Harumoto, fled here after losing a battle against Miyoshi Nagayoshi.During the Azuchi-Momoyama period, Akechi Mitsuhide built Sakamoto Castle, but after losing the Battle of Yamazaki, his senior vassal Akechi Hidemitsu set the castle on fire. This historic town is just a short distance from tourist-filled Kyoto.

It takes 16 minutes on the Kosei Line from JR Kyoto Station to Hieizan Sakamoto Station, and costs 320 yen. Modern transportation has made this distant town on the other side of Mount Hiei surprisingly close. If you take the Keihan Railway, you can take the Tozai Line from Sanjo Keihan to Biwako Hamaotsu Station, then transfer to the Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line and go to Sakamoto Hieizanguchi Station. This route takes about 35 minutes because the Ishiyama Sakamoto Line only stops at every station.

The small train stops at tourist spots such as Miidera, Anato, and Matsu no Baba. The fare is also expensive at 570 yen, but if you want to enjoy your trip, this is the way to go. You can also walk about 5 minutes from JR Otsukyo Station to Keihan Hamaotsu Station, transfer to the Ishiyama Sakamoto Line, and enjoy the area along the line. From Sakamoto-Hieizanguchi Station, you can reach Ishiyama-dera Temple, famous for Murasaki Shikibu, in about 30 minutes. It would be fun to go and see Murasaki Shikibu while sightseeing in Sakamoto.

The streetscape of the Satobo temples – Former Chikurin-in temple is perfect for Instagram

The highlight is the Satobo. There are more than 50 Satobo in Sakamoto. There is a gate facing the road, and it is surrounded by stone walls, walls, and hedges made in the style of Anato-shu-zumi. Inside there is a garden and a building in a secluded area. The Satobo have meditative names such as Shikan-in, Eko-in, and Ritsu-in, as they are the homes of high-ranking monks. This historical landscape has been designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

The Satobo gardens are spacious and wonderful. The garden of the former Chikurin-in is set on a vast site, with a hill built with Mount Hachioji as a backdrop, and a meandering stream and waterfalls that draw water from the Omiya River. The quiet presence is soothing to the soul, and recently it has also become a popular Instagram spot. It seems that the greenery of the garden reflected in the low table is striking.

Saikyouji Temple and Hiyoshi Taisha

There are many other things to see. Hiyoshi Taisha is the head shrine of the Sanno-san, which has over 3,800 shrines nationwide. The grounds are spacious with clear streams running through them, and there are few people around, creating a mystical atmosphere. The main halls of the national treasures, the East and West Main Shrines, the Hiyoshi Sanbashi Bridge, said to be the oldest stone bridge in Japan, and the Saruishi stone, which resembles a sitting monkey, are highlights.

The shrine is located in the front demon gate of Heian-kyo. It has protected the Imperial Palace as the guardian deity of Kyoto since the Heian-kyo period. It was also worshiped as the guardian deity of Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei. The messenger of the god here is a monkey. This is because monkeys are associated with “evil goes away" and “victory." There is also a wooden carved monkey on the corner of the demon gate wall of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. This place is also famous as a famous spot for viewing maples, and it is lit up at night in the fall.

Saikyo-ji is the head temple of the Tendai Shinsei sect. It is said to have been founded by Prince Shotoku. In the Muromachi period, after the monk Jie Daishi Ryogen restored the dilapidated temple, the monk Shinsho restored the temple buildings and teachings, making it a training center for precepts and nembutsu. The stately main hall, made entirely of zelkova, houses a 「Zyoroku Amida Buddha」, an Important Cultural Property.

The guest hall was relocated from the palace of Fushimi Momoyama Castle, and many Kano school paintings, as well as portraits and floral and bird paintings on the sliding doors remain. There are four gardens, including the guest hall garden designed by Kobori Enshu, which makes clever use of the slope of the mountain behind the temple, allowing visitors to enjoy the nature of the four seasons. This temple is also associated with Akechi Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide worked hard to restore the temple, which was burned down when Nobunaga burned down Mount Hiei. The graves of Mitsuhide’s wife, Teruko, and his family are located within the temple grounds. The view of Lake Biwa from the mountain gate is beautiful. I wonder if Mitsuhide also saw it.

Shigain Monzeki

Shiga-in Monzeki was relocated from Hossho-ji Temple in Kitashirakawa, Kyoto, by Tenkai Daisojo, a secret advisor to Tokugawa Ieyasu. The temple boasts a high status, with a member of the imperial family serving as the head priest of Tendai until the end of the Edo period. The vast grounds are surrounded by stone walls made of “Anoushu-zumi", and include a shoin study with Kano school screen paintings from the early Edo period, as well as a wonderful garden with stonework, plantings, waterfalls and stone bridges, said to have been created by Kobori Enshu.

There is a theory that Tenkai Sojo’s true identity is Akechi Mitsuhide, who is supposed to be dead. This is supported by his handwriting and the Chinese bellflower crest. It makes you think that Tenkai Sojo might have supported Sakamoto, who was associated with Akechi Mitsuhide. Other points of interest include Hiyoshi Toshogu Shrine, Ritsuin Temple, and Jigen-do Hall. If you have time, why not take the cable car to Enryaku-ji Temple at the top of Mount Hiei?

Kyoto’s tourist attractions are all packed with people. If you don’t want to be surrounded by crowds, why not take a trip to Sakamoto and enjoy the silence? It’s nice to spend half a day in a medieval town that changes its appearance with each season, with cherry blossoms in spring, greenery in summer, autumn leaves in fall, and white snow in winter. If you get hungry, try some tempura soba at Tsuruki, a 300-year-old soba restaurant, and your trip to Sakamoto will be complete.

滋賀県坂本　あまり知られていない石垣の街

電車を降りて少し上り坂の日吉大社の参道を歩けば坂本の街につく。参道は中央を車が走る現代の道路だが、両側の歩道は石垣と石畳が続き中世日本の面影を残している。歩道の側の草地に古い石灯篭が立ち並び、桜やもみじの古木が枝を広げている。春は桜が満開になり秋はもみじが真っ赤に色づく。その樹の幹もまた苔に覆われている。

日本の中世の面影を残す街

この街は至る所に石垣がある。近郊の穴太村に古くから石垣作りを良くする人たちが住んでいた。彼らは自然の石を加工することなく使って堅牢な石垣を築く技術をもっていた。彼らは穴太衆（あのうしゅう）と呼ばれ室町時代から戦国時代にかけて活躍した。中世ヨーロッパの石工ギルド、メイソンに似た専門家集団だった。

彼らが築く石垣は堅固なだけでなく美しかった。「穴太衆積み（あのうしゅうずみ）」として評判となり数々の城郭や寺院に採用された。織田信長の安土城も穴太衆積みである。彼らは坂本の里坊の石垣も作った。里坊は比叡山延暦寺で修行した高僧が年老いて山を下り隠居生活を送る住いである。彼らは信仰心を持ってそれを築いた。

里坊は参道の両側に並び街路を形成している。建屋と広い庭園が石垣や生垣に囲こまれている。里坊の苔むした石垣の細い道を歩けば時間が止まっているような感覚に襲われる。ここは他の観光地に無い静寂がある。

里坊の街並み　旧竹林院のインスタ映え

坂本は比叡山から流れ出す川が作った扇状地にある。比叡山を挟んで京都の東隣にあり、びわ湖の南岸に位置したことから、東国や北陸から運ばれる物資が集まる重要な港になった。近くに比叡山延暦寺、街に日吉大社、西教寺があったでの門前町としても栄えた。坂本では古くから銅銭の鋳造が盛んで、江戸時代になると京銭と呼ばれる流通銭の鋳造が行われた。オランダ商人は京銭を「サカモト」と名付けて中国や東南アジアに輸出したのである。

戦国時代、室町幕府12代将軍足利義晴・13代将軍足利義輝と細川晴元が三好長慶に追われて都落ちしている。安土桃山時代に明智光秀が坂本城を築いたが、山崎の戦いに敗れたため重臣明智秀満が城に火を放つ。そんな歴史のある街が観光客でごった返す京都から僅かの距離にある。

JR京都駅から比叡山坂本駅まで、湖西線で所要時間は１６分、運賃は３２０円である。現代の交通機関は、比叡山の向こうの遠い街を驚くほど近くにした。京阪電車なら、三条京阪から地下鉄東西線でびわ湖浜大津駅まで行き、京阪石山坂本線に乗り換えて、坂本比叡山口駅まで行くルートになる。このルートは石山坂本線が各駅停車しかないから３５分くらいかかる。

小さな電車が、三井寺、穴太、松の馬場などの観光スポットに停まって行く。運賃も５７０円と高くなるが、旅を楽しむならこちらが良い。JR大津京駅から京阪浜大津駅まで５分ほど歩き、石山坂本線に乗り換えて沿線を楽しむこともできる。坂本比叡山口駅からは紫式部で有名な石山寺へも３０分くらいで行ける。坂本観光のついでに紫式部に会いに行くのも一興である。

世界的観光地の京都から坂本まで電車で１６分

見どころは里坊である。坂本には５０余りの里坊がある。道路に面して門を構え、周囲を穴太衆積みの石垣と塀や生垣が囲む。中には庭園と奥まった所に建物がある。里坊は、高僧の住まいらしく止観院、恵光院、律院など思索敵的な名前がついている。この歴史的景観は、文化庁の重要伝統的建造物群保存地区に指定されている。

里坊の庭園は広々として素晴らしい。旧竹林院の庭園は広大な敷地に、八王子山を借景にして築山を築き、大宮川の水を引き入れた曲水や滝がある。静かなたたずまいは心を癒してくれるが、最近はインスタスポットとして人気も高い。座卓に映り込んだ庭の緑が映えるらしい。

西教寺と日吉大社、

その他にも見どころがたくさんある。日吉大社は全国に３，８００3社余りある「山王さん」の総本宮である。清流が流れる境内は広く、人影も少なくて神秘的な雰囲気が漂っている。国宝の東本宮・西本宮の本殿や日本最古の石橋といわれる日吉三橋、猿が座る姿に似た猿石が見どころだ。

社殿は平安京の表鬼門にある。平安京の時代から京都の守護神として御所を守ってきた。比叡山延暦寺の護法神としても信仰を集めていた。ここの神のお使いは猿である。猿は「魔が去る」「勝る」に通じるからだ。京都の御所の鬼門の塀の角にも木彫りの猿がいる。またここはもみじの名所としても有名で、秋はライトアップがされるそうだ。

西教寺は天台真盛宗の総本山である。聖徳太子により創建されたと伝えられる。室町時代、慈恵大師良源上人が荒廃していた寺を復興した後に、真盛上人が堂塔と教法を再興して戒律・念仏の道場とした。総欅造りの荘厳な本堂に重要文化財の丈六の阿弥陀如来が安置されている。

客殿は伏見桃山城の宮殿を移築したもので、多くの狩野派の絵、人物・花鳥襖絵が残されている。裏山の傾斜を巧みに利用した小堀遠州作の客殿庭園を含めて4つの庭園があり四季折々の自然を楽しめる。ここは明智光秀ゆかりの寺でもある。光秀は、信長の比叡山焼き討ちで焼失した寺の復興に尽力した。境内に光秀の妻熙子や一族の墓所がある。山門から見るびわ湖の光景が美しい。光秀も眺めたのだろうか。

滋賀院門跡

滋賀院門跡は、徳川家康の陰のアドバイザーである天海大僧正が京都北白川の法勝寺を移転したものだ。寺院は江戸時代末まで皇族が天台座主を務めるという高い格式を誇っている。穴太衆積みの石垣に囲まれた広大な敷地に、江戸時代初期の狩野派の障壁画が描かれた書院や、小堀遠州作とされる庭園の石組みや植栽、滝や石橋が素晴らしい。

天海僧正の正体は死んだはずの明智光秀という説がある。筆跡や桔梗の紋が根拠になっている。天海僧正が、明智光秀ゆかり坂本を支援する、ひょっとしたらと思わせる。その他にも　日吉東照宮、律院、慈眼堂などの見所がある。時間があればケーブルカーで比叡山山頂の延暦寺を訪ねたらどうだろう。

京都の観光名所はどこも人が溢れている。雑踏はごめんだと思ったら、坂本まで足を伸ばして静寂のなかに身を置くのも良い。春は桜、夏は緑、秋は紅葉、冬は白い雪、季節ごとに表情を変える中世の街で半日を過ごすのは悪くない。お腹が減れば総業３００年の蕎麦屋「鶴喜」で天ぷら蕎麦を食べれば坂本の旅は完璧である。