Senyuji Temple 58 Shikoku Ohenro Pilgrimage

 

Senyuji Temple, number 58 on the famed Ohenro Pilgrimage on Shikoku, is a mountain temple with stunning views down onto Imabari in Ehime.

For those who visit on foot there is a steep path from the Niomon gate up to the main temple grounds.

The Nio are of a standard design but quite striking.

One thing unusual about Senyuji is that it was said to be founded neither by Gyoki nor Kobo Daishi, the 2 founders of the majority of Ohenro temples.

legend says it was established by the provincial governor under orders from Emperor Tenchi in the mid to late 7th century. The honzon, a Senju Kannon, is said to have been carved by a Dragan woman who came up from the sea.

When Kobo Daishi visited it had fallen into disrepair but he rebuilt it. It again fell into disrepair during the Edo Period but was restored in the early Meiji Period.

It is not a very big temple and the buildings were rebuilt in the 1950's following a major fire, but it has great views. It is known for its shukubo, temple lodgings, quite well known for their delicious shojin ryori vegetarian cuisine.

I did not stay here on this trip, but later when walking the Shikoku Fudo Myoo Pilgrimage I did, and would heartily recommend it.

The statue of Binzaru (below) is said to be the biggest and best on the pilgrimage.

The previous temple was number 57, Eifukuji.

Mine-Ji

Mine-Ji is an ancient mountain temple looking down on Unnan Town in the Okuizumo district south of Lake Shinji.

I previously posted on the Nio and Fudo Myojin statues here.

Reputedly founded in 658 by the legendary En no Gyoja, considered to be the founder of Shugendo, the temple was reputedly visited by Kobo Daishi and has been a Shingon Temple since then.

There are a lot of nice statuary in the extensive grounds, and several shrines, one to Inari, and one to Suijin. The shugendo tradition continues here and in April a Himatsuri (fire festival) is held.

With advance reservations the temple is one of the few in the region that offers shukubo (temple lodgings) and shojin ryori (vegetarian buddhist meals) There is a nice garden that can be enjoyed while drinking tea, and an interesting library and an altar for Tibetan Buddhism.

 

This felt very much like a "working" temple, active in many areas, whereas so many temples are simply funerary sites. There is no public transport to the temple but Kisuki Station is about 2k away, and the temple is only at about 180 meters elevation, so not so hard to walk to.

 

I dont usually find painted screens all that appealing, but this one in the temple really struck me.