Isshinji Okunoin of temple 3 Kannonji

 

About mid afternoon on my first day walking the Shodoshima pilgrimage I left the Daish-do and carried on uphill a few more minutes before reaching the okunoin proper, clinging to the cliff overlooking the sea.

This was the okunoin, the inner sanctuary, to temple number 3, kannonji, which lay in the village at the foot of the mountain, and it seemed less visited and maintained than the daishi-do.

There was plenty of statuary around including a fine pair of nio. There was also the remains of a set of steep steps that ran down the mountainside but had been blocked off and disused for a long time. Most surprising was a fairly new three storey building that was once a lodgings.

There were fantastic views across the sea and islands towards Shikoku from about 240 meters above sea level.

The temple hall housed the altar with small statue of Kannon set back in a small cave in the cliff face.