Eikan-dō is the headquarters of the Seizan branch of Jōdo and one of the older Buddhist foundations in Kyoto, established in 853. It is best known for two things. The first is the unusual seated Mikaeri Amida — the "Looking-back Amida" — a small Heian-period image whose head is turned over its left shoulder; legend has it that one day in 1082 the abbot Eikan was meditating when the statue itself stepped down from the altar, turned around, and gently rebuked him for falling behind in his recitations.
The second is the temple's spectacular display of momiji (Japanese maples), which in mid- to late November fill the slope behind the main hall with overlapping waves of red, orange, and yellow leaves. The temple is open in the evenings during this period for crowded but unforgettable illuminations. Outside autumn the temple is calmer; the multi-level wooden walkways, the small pagoda on the hillside, and the pond garden reward an unhurried hour.