Eiheiji, the "Temple of Eternal Peace," is one of the largest and most visited temples in Japan. Located 19 km northeast of Fukui, the elaborate complex of more than 70 buildings nestles on a hilltop amid a forest of towering cedar trees, many more than 750 years old.
Eiheiji was founded by Dogen Zenji (1200-1253) in the 13th century. Son of a Kyoto aristocrat, he was ordained as a Tendai Buddhist monk at Hieizan and later studied under the great Eisai, founder of Rinzai Zen in Japan. Subsequently he went to China and studied there for five years, achieving enlightenment under the Soto Zen master Zhangweng Rujing (1163-1228). On returning home in 1227 he championed his own brand of Buddhism, much to the chagrin of the Kyoto Buddhist establishment. Banned from preaching, he left Kyoto, and after many travels founded Eiheiji deep in the Fukui hills.
Today, Eiheiji is home to a thriving community of Zen monks. It is one of two headquarters of Soto Zen Buddhism (the other, Sojiji, is in Yokohama), which is characterized by its emphasis on silent meditation, known as shikan taza (literally "just sitting"), as opposed to Rinzai Zen's use of koan (riddles), such as the well-known one regarding the sound of one hand clapping.