●Mii-dera Temple (Onjo-ji Temple) 246 Onjo-ji, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture 

〇Mii-dera Temple and Shinra Genji

There was a deep relation between Genji and Mii0dera Temple. Minamoto No Yoriyoshi worshiped and promised a military exploitat at Mii-dera Temple and Shinra Myojin when he departed for Zenkunen War (1051), and his 3rd son, Yoshimitsu made a coming-of-age ceremony at Shinra Myojin and was called Shinra Saburo. After Yoriyoshi suppressed Zenkunen War, he made his son, Kaiyo a priest of Mii-dera Temple, built a small shrine in the ground of Bizouji Temple, annex of Mii-dera Temple, and called on a deity of Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu Shrine to make it a village shrine of Mii-dera Temple. This is New Hatonoo Hachimangu Shrine. It became a ruined tenple together with Bizouji Temple and Hatonoo Hachimangu Shrine, and has become Otsu municipal Nagara Park now. After that Yoshimitsu made his son, Kakuyoshi a priest, built Konkoin at Mii-dera Temple north house. Thus a lot of priests entered Mii-dera Temple from Genji and its relation deepened.

〇Mii-dera Temple and Genpei wars

In the Heiji first year (1159) a power struggle between Taira no Kiyomori and Minamoto no Yoshitomo adding power struggle in imperial families lead to a war called Houji no Ran. In this war Kiyomori won, Yoshitomo died and his son, Yoritomo was exiled to Izu, and Genji lost their power.

After Heiji no Ran Heishi reached the height of its prosperity. Goshirakawa monku-emperor's 2nd prince, Mochihito Ou (1151〜1180) didn't like it, planned to defeat Heishi with Minamoto no Yorimasa, but it was detected in advance. Mochihito Ou ran away to Mii-dera Temple, met with Yorimasa and went toward Koufukuji Temple in Nara. However. on his way when he was taking a rest at Uji Byoudouin he received Heishi's pursuit and died by straw arrows. Yorimasa killed himself in Byoudouin. Now that place is called "Ougi no Shiba".

By this war Miidera Temple received a big damage, but they barricaded themselves taking in Genji party in Enryakuji Temple and menaced Heishi. Heishi attacked Miidera Temple to defeat them and set fire. In this time temple buildings were completely destroyed. In "Heike Monogatari" its horrible state was written as "No trace of temple building, no three secret dojo, no voice of the bell, no flower of summer".

Public transportation: Keihan Electric Railway Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line, 10 minutes walk from Mii-dera Temple Station/12 minutes walk from Bessho Station

　　　　　　　　　JR Tokaido Main Line (Biwako Line), Otsu Station, change to Keihan Bus, 0 minute from Mii-dera Temple Stop

　　　　　　　　　JR Kosei Line Otsukyo station, change to Keihan Bus, 0 minute from Mii-dera Temple Stop

Car : From Meishin Expressway Otsu I.C approximately ten minutes via the lakefront road

: From National highway No. 1 approximately ten minutes via National highway No. 161