Bandai Town, Yama District, Fukushima Prefecture. The historic site is located in the gentle rural area at the southern foot of Mount Bandai.
The precincts where the main hall and the middle gate have been quietly restored. Once you step inside, there is a heavy presence of deep time that feels too significant to simply be the ruins of a temple.
This is Enichiji. It is said to be the oldest temple in Tohoku with a clear founder.
In the early Heian period, it was opened by a monk who abandoned the capital of Nara and walked all the way to Tohoku. His name was Tokuitsu Bosatsu.
Why did he leave the flourishing capital and choose this land of all places?
A high priest who left the capital
Tokuitsu was a high priest who studied at the Nanto Hossō Sect in Nara. The Hossō Sect was one of the centers of Japanese Buddhism at the time, with Kōfuku-ji and Yakushi-ji in Heijō-kyō as its main temples. Normally, staying in the capital and praying for the nobility and the court was the path to success for a monk.
However, Tokuitsu did not follow that path. At a young age in his 20s, he left the capital and headed far east to Tohoku, passing through Kanto.
At that time, Tohoku was seen as "Oshu" by the people of the capital—a remote area where Buddhist culture had not yet fully reached. It is said that Tokuitsu walked along paths without roads, observing the lives of the people, and eventually reached Aizu.
Why Aizu?
There is an answer that has been passed down locally regarding why Tokuitsu chose Aizu.
It is the "great power of nature"—the presence of Mount Bandai.
To the northeast of the Aizu Basin stands Mount Bandai, solidly imposing. It has long been revered by the local people as the "sacred mountain." Abundant spring water flows at its foot, nourishing the fields and supporting the lives of the people. The mountain itself was the center of life and prayer.
Tokuitsu sought to merge the mountain worship that was already rooted here with the teachings of Buddha that he had learned. Rather than denying the local faith and bringing in Buddhism, he respected the local beliefs and layered the teachings of Buddhism upon them.
Thus, he aimed to save the people.
A temple opened at the foot of Mount Bandai.
Thus, in the early Heian period, Eiji-ji was established by Tokuichi.
With Mount Bandai at its back, the temple complex stood facing south. The main hall, the middle gate, the lecture hall, and the monk's quarters. It is said that at its peak, as many as 3,000 monks studied here. This was a place where people gathered as a center of faith and learning not only from Aizu but from all over the Tohoku region.
In this place, far from the capital, one of the most brilliant Buddhist cultures in Japan was established at that time. This was due to the determination of a single monk, Tokuichi, who said, "Even if I abandon the capital, I will save people here."
Over 1,200 years
After that, Eiji-ji gradually declined over the course of time, and the temple complex was lost.
However, the memory of the temple continues to remain in the land.
In 1970, the ruins of Eiji-ji were designated as a national historic site. Excavation surveys revealed that the remains of the former temple complex were lying underground.
Then, in 2008, the main hall and middle gate were restored to their former appearance. Furthermore, since the summer of 2018, the seated statue of Yakushi Nyorai housed in the main hall has been opened to the public.
Over 1,200 years, the contours of the scenery that Tokuichi saw are now reappearing.
Walking after knowing, Eiji-ji
When we guide visitors at Eiji-ji, we have them first view Mount Bandai from a slightly distant location before entering the temple grounds. The mountain and the Buddha are connected by a single axis of prayer, which is conveyed through the body without words. By simply changing the order, the same historic site appears to have a completely different depth.
Standing in front of the main hall and looking back towards Mount Bandai, the meaning becomes clear.
The main hall is arranged to worship Mount Bandai directly in front. The mountain and the Buddha are connected by a single axis of prayer. This is a place where you can feel the reason why Tokuichi chose this location, not through words, but through your position and the atmosphere.
If you visit without knowing anything, it may just seem like a "beautifully maintained temple ruin."
However, when you walk after learning about the choice of the high priest who abandoned the capital, the same scenery looks completely different. The overlapping wisdom of the fusion of mountain worship and Buddhism from 1,200 years ago rises from the very stones beneath your feet.
I think that travel is ultimately about that. It's not about where you travel, but how much you know and walk.
If you visit Kichiji Temple
The ruins of Kichiji Temple are located in Honji, Bandai Town, Yamagata Prefecture. It's about a 20-minute walk from JR Ban'etsu West Line, Bandai Town Station, or a 5-minute drive. It's conveniently located along the way from Lake Inawashiro to Aizu Wakamatsu.
Bandai Town Kichiji Temple Museum
The museum attached to the temple grounds has exhibits where you can learn about the artifacts unearthed from excavations and the history of Tokui and Kichiji Temple. If you stop by before your visit, your impression when you see the main hall will change significantly.
General public viewing period of the statue of Yakushi Nyorai inside the main hall
The statue of Yakushi Nyorai is open to the public during the summer. The public viewing period varies each year, so please check the official information of Bandai Town. The moment you face it inside the hall has a tranquility that cannot be conveyed in photos.
Places you might want to visit together
- Mount Bandai ── The "sacred mountain" that underlies the story of Kichiji Temple. Even just driving around the base, you can feel the mountain shape that Tokui must have seen.
- Aizu Wakamatsu and Tsuruga Castle ── About a 30-minute drive from Kichiji Temple. The center of Aizu.
- Urabandai and Lake Hibara area ── A group of lakes created by the eruption of Mount Bandai in 1888. After visiting Kichiji Temple, it's the perfect place to see the "other face" of Mount Bandai.
Would you like to join a journey to encounter stories?
At Tabinoito, guide Catherine, who has lived in Urabandai and Aizu for half a century, shares stories of the land that are not found in guidebooks, offering tours limited to one group per day.
For those who want to carefully trace the stories of Kichiji Temple and Tokui, or those who want to explore the faith history of Mount Bandai and Aizu all at once, we can adjust the pace of the day according to your consultation. You can leave all long-distance driving and arrangements to us.
"I want to know more about history" or "I want to take my time as a couple" ── Whatever your request, feel free to ask. It's okay to just consult, and we will not engage in any persistent solicitation.
👉 Free consultation on LINE:
https://page.line.me/tabinoito
👉 View travel plans for senior couples:
https://tabinoito.com/senior/
👉 View travel plans for filial piety:
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Related articles: The village sunk beneath the lake ── Memories of Hibara village erased by the 1888 eruption of Mount Bandai
Reference materials
- Historical site of Eijiji Temple (Bandai Town Official)
- Eijiji Temple ruins (Fukushima Travel - Fukushima Prefectural Tourism and Product Exchange Association)
- Eijiji Temple (Wikipedia)
- Tokuichi (Wikipedia)
- Bandai Town Eijiji Museum on-site exhibition and interviews
- On-site coverage (Visit and interviews by Tabinoito guide, Catherine)
Author of this article
Catherine ── A guide living in Fukushima Prefecture, Urabandai, and Aizu for half a century. Founder of the private tour company 'Tabinoito'. With over 30 years of guiding experience, deeply knowledgeable about local nature, history, and cultural beliefs. Offering unique stories of the land not found in guidebooks while guiding in Urabandai and Aizu, limited to one group per day.
