Maya-san Tenjoji Temple

Maya-san Tenjoji is a mountaintop Shingon Buddhist temple perched high on Mount Maya, one of the principal peaks of the Rokko range that rises steeply behind Kobe. At nearly seven hundred meters above the city, wrapped in forest and often in drifting cloud, it is a temple with an otherworldly, elevated atmosphere - a place of pilgrimage since ancient times that today combines spiritual depth with some of the most spectacular scenery near Kobe.

The temple's origins are extraordinarily old. Tradition holds that it was founded in the seventh century by the eminent monk Hodo Sennin, and it is famous throughout Japan for its unusual dedication: Tenjoji enshrines Maya Bunin - Queen Maya, the mother of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. It is said that the great Kobo Daishi (Kukai), founder of the Shingon school, brought a statue of the Buddha's mother here, and from this the mountain itself took the name Maya. Because of this rare focus on the Buddha's mother, the temple has long been revered as a place to pray for safe childbirth, healthy children, and the wellbeing of mothers, drawing women and families from across the region. The present buildings, rebuilt after a fire in the twentieth century, stand in a commanding position among the peaks, approached by stone steps through the trees.

Mount Maya is celebrated above all for its views, and a visit to the temple pairs naturally with them. Just a short distance away lies the Kikuseidai observation terrace, whose panorama over the great sweep of the Osaka Bay - from Kobe through Osaka and beyond - is officially ranked among the three finest night views in all of Japan. By day the vista stretches across the city to the sea and the islands; by night the entire conurbation glitters like a jeweled carpet below. The combination of ancient mountain temple and world-class viewpoint makes Mount Maya one of the most rewarding half-day trips from central Kobe, particularly for those who enjoy nature and heights as much as history.

The visiting experience blends gentle exertion with reward. From the top station of the cable car and ropeway it is a walk of some fifteen minutes, partly uphill through woodland, to reach the temple - modest effort that filters out the casual crowds and heightens the sense of arrival at a sacred, remote place. Allow an hour to explore the halls, pray for family blessings, and enjoy the mountain air and forest calm, then continue to the viewpoint. Autumn brings fine foliage, and the cool heights are a welcome escape in summer.

Getting there is an adventure in itself: from Sannomiya, Kobe's main station, take a city bus to the base of the Maya Cable, ride the historic cable car and then the ropeway up the mountainside, and follow the path to the temple. Grounds are free to enter. Check the cable and ropeway operating days before you go, as schedules vary. For travelers seeking a temple with a difference - high, ancient, dedicated to the mother of the Buddha, and set beside one of Japan's legendary night views - Maya-san Tenjoji is an unforgettable ascent above Kobe.