Ukimi-do (浮御堂)
Ukimi-do is a Buddhist temple of the Kaimonzan Mangetsu-ji Temple, which belongs to the Rinzai sect Daitokuji school, and it is located on a pier extending out into Lake Biwa at katata, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture.
According to a legend, Eshinsozu saw Lake Biwa from Yokawa Tower on Mt. Hiei and wondered at the light in the lake shining every night, so he sent someone to pick it up by net. Then, it was a golden statue of Amida-butsu (Amitabha) of about 5 centimeters long. So he built a statue of Amida-butsu for holding memorial services for fish and placed the golden statue in the inside of the statue of Amida-butsu. He built Ukimi-do built and placed it with other 1,000 statues of Amida-butsu.
Although once it had been devastated, Emperor Sakuramachi gave a stage for Noh which had been placed in the Imperial Palace, and Ukimi-do was repaired.
Katata no Rakugan' (the Geese in Katata), a Ukiyo-e print made by Hiroshige UTAGAWA is one of Omi Hakkei (the Eight Views of Omi). In addition, Basho MATSUO also visited.
Guide for Visitors
Access
Get on a bus from the Katata Station of JR Kosei line and walk for 7 minutes from Katatade-machi Bus Stop.
Drive for 10 minutes from Mano Interchange of Kosei Road
Drive for 40 minutes from Seta-higashi Interchange of Meishin Expressway (there are 30 parking lots)
Entrance Fee
300 yen
Opening Hours
8:00 - 17:00