【Japan tourism】 Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage trip [No.74] Iouzan Tahouin Kouyamaji

2023年3月19日2023年4月15日

Kouyamaji

Principal image	Yakushi Nyorai
Honzon mantra	On korokoro sendari matougi sowaka
Denomination	Shingon Buddhism Zentuuji sect

Place

Temple lodging： none

Phone：0877-63-0074

Gosyuin(red stamp)

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History

The area around Kouyamaji Temple is the hometown of Kobo Daishi, and it is said that Kobo Daishi often played there when he was a child.

Kobo Daishi was looking for a sacred place to build a temple between the 75th Zentsu-ji Temple and the 72nd Mandara-ji Temple.

Kobo Daishi met an old man in a cave at the foot of Mt. Kou, and the old man said, “I am a saint who has lived here for a long time, has given people happiness and benefits, and spread the teachings of Buddha. If you build a temple here, I will always protect." Kobo Daishi realized that the old man was Bishamonten, carved a statue of Bishamonten, enshrined it in a cave, and held a memorial service.

After that, Kobo Daishi, who was appointed by Emperor Saga to be in charge of the restoration of Japan’s largest pond, “Mannoike", prayed for the completion of the restoration work at the cave of Kouyama. And he carved a statue of Yakushi Nyorai and practiced it. We completed the difficult project in just three months.

It is said that Kobo Daishi built a temple with part of the 20,000 sen given by the Imperial Court and enshrined Yakushi Nyorai as the principal image. It was named “Kouyamaji" because the shape of the mountain resembles the shape of Bishamonten’s armor.

Highlight

It is about 2 km (about 5 minutes by car) to the next 75th bill place “Zentsuuji"!