The first temple on Onomichi's Temple Walk is the Jodo (Pure Land) sect temple Jiko-ji. Originally founded in the ninth century it was then of the Tendai sect. There is no missing the entrance gate hewn out of massive blocks of stone.
If you have the time you can stop and make a "Nigiri Botoke", a " squeezed Buddha". made by squeezing a small lump of clay in one hand and then adding a face. The priest will give you instruction and then mail you the finished figure after it has been fired.
When I was there in March the Plums were still in bloom.
The temple is home to a National Treasure. “Kenpon Chakushoku Fugen Enmyo Zo" is a painting on silk of the bodhisattva Fugen Enmyo and is the oldest representation of this bodhisattva in Japan. Like so many National Treasures it is not on public display