This paper identifies lost mountain monastery sites at Enryaku-ji, Saito area on Hieizan during the Tokugawa period using high-resolution airborne LiDAR and historical records. A digital elevation model (DEM) captured the clear transition of land surfaces showing a path between lost buildings, each property’s flat surface, and the mat-shaped foundation of the buildings. Site identifications were confirmed via pattern matching of three aerial aspects between DEM and historical records. The knowledge derived is expected to elucidate the layout of mountain religious communities and everyday activities that helped monks at the monastery to explore their philosophy both visually and physically.
HAYAKAWA et al. (Sat,) studied this question.