【Japan tourism】 Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage trip [No.55] Bekkusan Kongouin Nankoubou
Nankobo is located in the center of Imabari City and is the only temple among the eighty-eight temples with a name that includes the word “bo." The principal image is also a rare one called “Daitsuuchishou Nyorai".
Nankoubou
| Principal image | Daitsuuchishou Nyorai |
| Honzon mantra | Namu daituutisyou butu |
| Denomination | Shingon Buddhism Godai sect |
Place
Temple lodging： none
Phone：0898-22-2916
〒794-0026
3-1 Betsumiya-cho, Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture
Gosyuin(red stamp)
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History
The official name is “Koumyoji Kongouin Nankoubo". This temple has a long history and is closely related to Ooyamazumi Shrine, the Iyo Province Ichinomiya shrine that enshrines the god of navigation.
In the 3rd year of Taiho (703), Ochi Tamazumi, the Iyo provincial governor who was said to be the ancestor of the Iyo navy, received an imperial command from Emperor Monbu and built Ooyamazumi Shrine on Oomishima. At that time, it is said that he built eight temples out of the twenty-four villas in this area.
In 708, Gyoki enshrined eight of the twenty-four temples under the name of “Nihon Souchinsyu Mishima no Gozen." After that, Kobo Daishi performed houraku at this Betto-ji Temple and established it as a sacred place in Shikoku.
Everything was destroyed in the Battle of Tensho, but only Nankoubou was rebuilt as Betto-ji. During the Edo period, it was revered by Takatora Todo and the Hisamatsu and Matsudaira families of the Matsuyama domain, and Takatora is said to have rebuilt Yakushido as a place of prayer.
The Meiji Restoration’s separation of Shintoism and Buddhism nearly forced Nankobo to close, but it somehow managed to escape.
Along with Konpira-do, Daishi-do escaped the destruction of World War II. The other main halls were rebuilt in 1981, the Yakushido in 1991, and the Sanmon in 1998.
Highlight
At the temple gate, there are statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, Jikokuten (to the east), Zochoten (to the south), Komokuten (to the west), and Tamonten (to the north).
【Konpira-do】Built between 1861 and 1864, it is the oldest in Nankobo.
This is a hall that enshrines Konpira Daigongen, which is enshrined by Sanuki’s Kotohiragu Shrine, which is revered by sailors.
It is about 4 km (about 15 minutes by car) to the next 56th bill place “Taizanji"!