Shodoshima Temple 55 & 56, and Into Tonosho

 

After leaving the giant Juniper tree at Hoshoinji, I pass a small Inari shrine on the way to the next little temple. Number 55, Kannon-do.

The way is slightly on the hillside so views of Tonosho and the sea and islands beyond are plentiful.

Kannon-do was a small building and enshrined Bato Kannon, the Horse-head Kannon. It is the only pilgrimage temple to do so.

In earlier times, people would come here to pray for their livestock.

Temple 56 is close by, and slightly higher on the hillside, so the views become wider..

Temple 56, Gyoja-do, has En no Gyoja as its honzon, the only pilgrimage temple here to do so.

It seems that for most pilgrims this is the final temple, the finishing point. Most people arrive in Tonosho, by far the biggest town on the island, and then head clockwise around the island.

I chose to start in the SE of the island and so pretty much followed the traditional numbering system.

Other than a busride from the port on my first day, this was the first time I was seeing Tonosho.

The legendary origin of the Gyojado lies in the huge boulder behind the temple.

According to the legend Kobo Daishi was walking here with a group of pilgrimas and a huge boulder came rolling down the hillside. Everyone panicked but Kobo Daishikept walking and praying and the rock came to an abrupt stop. The pilgrims decided to establish the Gyojado here.

Coming down into Tomosho the vermillion pagoda of Saiko-ji is clearly visible.

The final photo of the post is looking back beyond the last two temples to Tamamitsu Shrine.

The previous post was on the three temples clustered around the ancient Juniper tree.

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