Eifuku-ji is temple No. 57 on the Shikoku pilgrimage or Henro. The temple is located in the countryside outside of Imabari, in a beautiful bamboo grove. What to see When you approach the temple from a distance, the first thing you’ll notice is the newly built priest’s quarters. This an adobe tower with oddly slanted…
Taisan-ji is temple No. 56 on the Shikoku pilgrimage or Henro. The temple is located in the countryside near Imabari. What to see Taisan-ji is located on sloping farmland on the outskirts of Imabari City. It stands on a platform of sloping stone walls topped with a beautiful white plastered wall. To enter the compound,…
Nankōbō, The Temple of the Southern Light, is temple No. 55 on the Shikoku pilgrimage or Henro. Located in Imabari, it has a magnificent gate facing the main road, with four fierce guardians decorated with gold leaf. What to see Nankōbō stands beside a main road through Imabari city. Its buildings are distributed around an…
Enmei-ji is temple No. 54 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. Located in the outskirts of Imabari, it’s dedicated to children lost in childbirth (or aborted). What to see When you enter the temple from the main road, an agricultural pond and the temple graveyard make a strong impression. The graveyard has many of the…
Enmyo-ji, The Temple of the Ring of Light, is temple No. 53 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage or Henro. It’s one of the eight pilgrimage temples in Matsuyama. Located in a built-up area on the outskirts of the city, it has dynamic tile sculptures on the roofs of its buildings. What to see The first point…
Taisan-ji, The Temple of the Big Mountain, is temple No. 52 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. Located in the outskirts of Matsuyama, it has wonderful views of the Shikoku Mountains on clear days. The main building is one of the more spectacular on the pilgrimage. What to see The approach to Taisan-ji is very…
Ishite-ji is temple No. 51 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. It’s situated in Matsuyama, not far from Dōgo Onsen, so it’s as popular with tourists as with pilgrims. In 2009, it was given one star in the Michelin Guide. Ishite-ji excites both amazement and revulsion. Some find it appealing in its eclectic zaniness, others…
Hanta-ji is temple No. 50 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. A winding road up a little slope brings you to Hanta-ji, tucked against a hillside.
Jōdo-ji, The Temple of the Pure Land, is No. 49 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, or Henro. It’s located in a residential area at the foot of a hill that faces to the south offering a view of Mt. Ishizuchi. The main building is built in the Chinese style of architecture, with a rustic and weathered…
Sairin-ji, The Temple of the Western Forest, is temple No. 48 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. It sits on a low-lying plain next to a little river. From the temple, you can see Mt. Ishizuchi, the highest mountain in western Japan. In winter, its snowy peaks present a fine sight. What to see An…