【Japan tourisum】 Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage trip [No.72] Gahaishizan Enmeiin Mandaraji
Mandaraji
| Principal image | Dainichi Nyorai |
| Honzon mantra | On abiraunken bazaradadoban |
| Denomination | Shingon Buddhism Zentsuuji sect |
Place
Temple lodging： none
Phone：0877-63-0072
〒765-0061
1380-1 Yoshiwaracho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture
Gosyuin(red stamp)
History
The oldest sacred site in Shikoku, it was built in 596 (Suiko 4) as a temple of the Saeki family, the feudal lord of Sanuki. At that time, it was called “Yosakadera".
It is said that Kobo Daishi visited here in 807, the year after he returned from Tang, to pray for the repose of the soul of his late mother, Tamayori Gozen. Imitating Seiryu-ji Temple in Tang Dynasty, it took three years to build a temple and enshrined Dainichi Nyorai as the principal image. Then, he enshrined the mandala of the Kongokai and the Womb Realm brought back from Tang Dynasty. And the name of the temple was changed to “Mandara-ji".
Saigyo-hoshi lived in a hermitage built in a place called “Water Stem Hill" near Mandara-ji Temple for more than seven years. It is said that Saigyo often went to Mandara-ji Temple and took a nap on a flat stone in the precincts of the temple, and the 'Saigyo’s Nap Stone’ remains in the same place today.
Next to it is “Kasakake Sakura". It is said that when Saigyo was returning to the capital, he saw a person accompanying him leave with a hat hanging from a cherry tree, and he wrote a poem.
Highlight
【Nioumon】
【Kasamatsu Daishi】
This is a seated statue of Kobo Daishi carved on the trunk of the “Furomatsu", which is said to have been hand-planted by Kobo Daishi, after it withered.
The 1,200-year-old Furomatsu tree looks like two upside-down sedge hats with a height of 4m and a diameter of 18m, and has been designated as a natural monument of Kagawa Prefecture. However, it was eroded by pine weevils and felled in 2002.
It is about 0.5 km ( about 1 minute by car) to the next 73rd bill place “Shusshakaji"!