The official name of Saijo Inari is Saijo Inari-san Myokyoji Temple. Until the Edo period, it was known as Ryūōzan Jingū-ji, and its origins are said to date back to the Nara period.
Although it is a Buddhist temple, it is a rare example featuring a large torii gate and a main hall constructed in the style of a Shinto shrine. This architectural form, known as Shinbutsu Shūgō—the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism—largely disappeared following the Meiji government’s policy separating Shinto and Buddhism, despite once being widespread throughout Japan.
The principal object of worship is Saijōikyō Ō daibosatsu, the Supreme King of the Sutras Great Bodhisattva.
There are no special rules for worship, but unlike at Shinto shrines, visitors do not clap their hands. Instead, most people quietly place their palms together in prayer.
Among the highlights within the temple grounds are the stone Niōmon Gate and the former main hall, rebuilt during the mid-Edo period. The “En no Massha” (Shrine of Bonds) enshrines deities associated with both ending bad relationships and fostering good ones, and is believed to help visitors let go of harmful ties while forming positive connections.
In addition, if you climb Mount Ryūōzan behind the temple, you will find the Daimoku-iwa, a sacred rock engraved with the seven characters of the Nichiren Buddhist chant “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō,” as well as the sacred site known as Hachijō-iwa, where Hōon Daishi is said to have practiced ascetic training. The entire mountain is enveloped in a solemn and spiritual atmosphere.