Mt. Hiei

Saicho, Honen, Shinran, Dogen, Nichiren.... A galaxy of well-known names of Buddhist priests in Japanese history could be found here and there on Mt. Hiei. In the mountain, Enryaku-ji Temple was founded by Saicho. He was contemporary with Kukai, who founded Kongobu-ji Temple in Mt Koya. They went to Tang Dynasty China together. Saicho came back to Japan after several months, while Kukai stayed there about 2 years. Kukai concentrated himself on studying and mastering esoteric Buddhism, while Saicho brought back various new information on contemporary Chinese Buddhism. That enabled, it seems, Mt Hiei to provide so many important priests later in the history.