Kojoji Temple 11 Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage

 

The 11th temple on the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage is located on an island in the Inland Sea between Hiroshima and Shikoku.

Kojoji is a Soto Zen temple that was founded in 1403, though at the time it was founded as a Rinzai Zen Temple.

It is said to have been founded by the Zen Master Daido who founded Buttsuji, incidentally the next temple on the pilgrimage.

At the height of its power it was home to 100 monks.

It fell into disuse but was revived in the early 17th century when it was converted to Soto.

Some of the temple buildings burned down in early Meiji and others were dismantled.

Only the Pagoda, gate, bell tower and kitchen remained.

In 2010, a new Main Hall was built.

The star of the temple is the pagoda dating back to 1432 and is rightly registered as a National Treasure.

My understanding and recognition of historical Japanese architectural styles and details is somewhat limited, but most sources mention that the pagoda is in Zen style that includes various Chinese elements.

Kojoji is a little off the beaten track, and other than the pagoda there is not actually a lot to see, however if you are visiting nearby Kosanji then it might be worth a look.

The previous post in the series was on the walk from Innoshima Island to Ikuchijima Island.

Jodo-ji Temple 9 Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage

 

Jodo-ji Temple in Onomichi, the historic port on the Hiroshima coast is said to have been founded by Shotoku Taishi in the early 7th century.

However, no records exist to prove that, although there was some kind of religious site here 400 years later at the end of the Heian Period.

The main gate dates to the mid 14th century and is an Important Cultural Property.

The main hall, left in the photo above, and photo below, dates to 1327 and is a National Treasure.

The honzon is an Eleven-faced Kannon, and the temple now belongs to the Shingon sect.

In 1325 a major fire burned down most buildings and so everything now has been built since then.

Ashikaga Takauji stopped here in 1336 on his way back from Kyushu and donated a set of poems.

He also made Jodoji one of his Ankokuji, nation-pacifying temples.

Below is the Amida Hall, built in 1345 and enshrining Amida

It, along with the gate, Abbots Quarters (hojo), and several other structures and artifacts are also Important Cultural Properties.

The other Nationl Treasure at Jodoji is the pagoda.

This Tahoto-style pagoda was constructed in 1328 and emshrines Dainichi.

Apparently there is a Treasure House where some of the many treasures in the possession of the temple are on display, but I didn't visit it.

I was most interested in the gardens which I covered in the previous post.

To view the gardens you go into the Abbots quarters, the hojo, which has a nice collection of painted screens seen in the final photos.

Usually statues of Binzuru are found on the veranda of a hall, but here he was inside.

Myoo-in Temple 8 Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage

Myoo-in

Myo-o-in Temple on the bank of the Ashida River in Fukuyama is home to two National Treasures, the pagoda and the main hall.

Though early records don't exist it is said to have been founded by Kobo Daishi in 807.

The honzon, an 11-faced Kannon is dated to the ninth century so it is certainly possible to be that old.

The temple was originally called Saikozan Richi-in Jofukuji.

The temple was supported by the nearby settlement of Kusado Sengen which grew wealthy through trade and became one of the bigger temples of the region.

The current main hall was built in 1321 and the 5 storey pagoda in 1348.

It is the fifth-oldest pagoda in Japan.

Much of the temple was damaged by a landslide in 1620 and rebuilt by Mizuno Katsunari a few years later.

The third Mizuno Daimyo, Katsutada, merged a nearby small temple, Myoo-in, with it and renamed the temple.

A small Good Luck Daikokuten altar and stone carving.

The torii and steps leading up to the Atago Shrine.

I'm not sure what the kokeshi dolls were doing hung up by the 6 Jizo statues.... but they are not there anymore...

As well as the Pagoda and Main Hall National Treasures, plenty of the other buildings are also quite old. The gate is dted to 1614, and the Shoin is dated to 1621, the bell tower to 1647.

The main hall is classed as "eclectic" as it incorporates architectural features from a range of traditions.

There is a Benzaiten pond and statues of the 6 other "Lucky Gods" nearby.

The previous post was on Kusado Inari Shrine next door.....

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