Ko-on-ji Temple 61 Shikoku Ohenro Pilgrimage

 

Ko-onji Temple is quite an enigma. With claims to being one of the oldest temples on the pilgrimage, the architecture is without a doubt the most modern.

Said to have been founded by Shotoku Taishi in the late 6th century, it was later visited by Gyoki, and then later still by Kobo Daishi.

He found a pregnant woman nearby suffering difficult labour and so prayed and lit incense for her. She gave birth to a healthy boy and since then the temple has been known as a place to pray for safe birth and the worship of Koyasu Daishi began.

The temple burned down and was rebuilt multiple times.

In 1976, for reasons I am unable to learn, the main hall was moved to another temple and the current structure was built.

Looking like a museum or auditorium, it is actually not too dissimilar to the latter.

With seating for more than 600, and a kind of raised stage, the huge hall doubles as the main hall and also the Daishi hall.

Numerous sources refer to it as a cathedral.

The previous temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage was number 60, the mountaintop temple of Yokomineji.