Chozenji Temple 8 Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage

 

Chozenji Temple is number 8 on the Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage.

It is located a few kilometers downstream from temple 7, Fukushoji. Each of the 36 temples on the Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage has one of the 36 doji, child-attendants of Fudo. At the foot of the stairs above is Shitara Doji.

Like Fukushoji, Chozenji seems like a pretty unremarkable rural temple.

However, it claims to have been founded by Kobo Daishi himself and if I am reading the history correctly, was a fairly major temple.

The Fudo enshrined here is said to be a Fudo who shows miraculous powers for warding off swellings and rashes and has become known as a Fudo to ward off cancer.

From the main hall further steps lead further up the mountainside through a "tunnel" of red torii.

This leads to Mogami Inari Shrine, a branch of Saijo Inari, a Buddhist temple in Okayama.

I can find no information on when the shrine was established or anything about it.

The main building seems to be fairly recent and has some nice ceiling paintings.

It has a pair of Tengu masks hanging on tye front of the building and a pair of what looks like Nio masks but could be other characters...

The steps continue on up to the temple Okunoin, a man made cave with a large painting of Fudo and water streaming from a hole in the ceiling.

The stairs leading up are lined with Fudo statues on the right side and another figure on te left. This may be Kukuzo, the honzon of the temple.

The temple burned down in 1586 and was rebuilt in 1588. In 1598 it was name Ekiji.

It is said to have consisted of seven structures, including a pagoda. It burned down again in 1864 and was rebuilt in 1890.

As part of the Spring Fudo Myoo Festival, firewalking by Yamabushi takes place in front of the Okunoin.

A couple of paintings from the temple are National Important Cultural Properties and are held by museums in Kyoto and Nara.

The previous post in the series was on the previous temple, Fukushoji, number 7.