Enkō-ji is temple No. 35 on the Shikoku pilgrimage. It’s the last temple in Kōchi before the pilgrimage route heads north into Ehime prefecture. What to see The temple gate stands atop a few stone steps, and it holds two fine, red Niō guardian statues. To the left of the gate is a wash basin…
Kongōfuku-ji, The Temple of Everlasting Happiness, is Temple No. 38 on the Shikoku pilgrimage or Henro. It’s located overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the tip of the Ashizuri Peninsula. Cape Ashizuri is the southernmost point of Shikoku. The distance between Temple No. 37 and No. 38 Kongōfuku-ji is one of the longest, and takes about…
Iwamoto-ji is temple No. 37 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. It’s located close to the JR Yodo Line and the Shimanto River. The distance between this temple and the neighbouring temples is considerable, so pilgrims often stayed overnight at this temple. What to see Iwamoto-ji Temple is set back a little from the nearest…
Shōryū-ji, The Blue Dragon Temple, is temple No. 36 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. It stands near the tip of the Yokonami Peninsula which juts out into the Pacific Ocean parallel to the shore of Tosa city, creating a deep inlet called Uranouchi Bay. What to See The temple is hidden in a valley recessed from the…
Kiyotaki-ji, The Temple of the Pure Waterfall, is temple No. 35 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. It stands midway up Mt. Kiyotaki at an elevation of 137 m surrounded by citrus groves at the end of a steep, narrow, and winding road with ditches on either side. What to See Walking pilgrims must climb…
Tanema-ji is temple No. 34 on the Shikoku pilgrimage. Its name means ‘seed planting’. Kūkai is said to have planted seeds he brought back from China at this temple. What to see After entering through the temple gate, there’s a belfry. Turning right in front of the Kōmyō Hall you see Mizuko Jizō Hall on…
Sekkei-ji is Temple 33 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. The temple was favoured by the Chōsokabe clan under Chōsokabe Motochika who unified all of Shikoku. He made Sekkei-ji his ancestral temple, and his son’s ashes were buried here. The grave of Motochika is about twenty minutes on foot to the east. During the purge…
Zenjibu-ji is temple No. 32 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, or Henro. The temple is located on a hillside in Nankoku outside Kōchi city near the Pacific coast. What to see As you walk up the mountain path from the foot of the temple, the path branch to the right towards a storehouse and the temple…
Chikurin-ji is temple No. 31 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. It’s located on Mt. Godai, a fairly high hill within Kōchi city. Chikurin-ji means ‘bamboo forest temple’, although today, Mt. Godai is more broad-leaf and pine forest than bamboo. What to see Chikurin-ji has many beauties. There’s a long approach to the main compound…
Zenraku-ji is temple No. 30 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. What to see Zenraku-ji stands in a subsidiary position to the right of Tosa Shrine which has its own long approach. The temple and shrine create an impression of an important religious centre. A large stone statue of the eleven-faced Kannon, the Goddess of…