Jofukuji Temple, commonly called Tsubaki-do, is the 14th of the 20 extra temples on the Shikoku Pilgrimage. It is one of the ones commonly visited by pilgrims as it is located right on the main pilgrimage route and does not involve a detour.
It was established in 807 as a small hermitage enshrining a Jizo statue.
In 815 Kobo Daishi visited while the local people were suffering from influenza. He planted his walking stick into the grounds and prayed so that the sickness left the people and transferred into the stick.
Later a camellia, tsubaki in Japanese, grew from the stick, and so the name of the hermitage became Tsubaki-do
The hermitage burned down in 1859, and the current camellia is said to have grown from the burned stump.
The red Fudo Myoo was known as a fire prevention Fudo, but has been changed to a Non-Nuclear Fudo.
It has received a fresh coat of paint since I visited, as has the unusual gate.
I was lucky as I visited in mid-February, so the camellias were blooming
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