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Dainichiji Temple
Buddhist Image Thirty-Three Kannon Bosatsu Statues Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県板野郡板野町黒谷字居内28
Visiting Status Viewable from the corridor during opening hours (8:00–17:00)
WarmthDepthStillness
Thirty-three wooden Kannon Bodhisattva statues line the corridor connecting the main and Daishi halls at Dainichiji, Temple No. 4 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. Arranged in connection with devotion to the Kannon images of the Saigoku Thirty-Three Temple Pilgrimage, they are said by temple tradition to have been donated by worshippers from Osaka and elsewhere during the Meiwa era (1764–1772). The pedestal of the statue numbered 27 bears an inscription dating its dedication to 1790, indicating the history of donations from different regions. Visitors can view the statues, each with a distinctive form and expression, at close range. All 33 underwent restoration during a major renovation in the Heisei era.
Tofukuji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Kongokai Dainichi Nyorai (Mahavairocana) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
徳島県美馬郡つるぎ町貞光字木屋341
Visiting Status Museum viewing 9:00–17:00 (free; closed throughout December)
SolemnityRefinementDepth
A seated Kongokai Dainichi Nyorai statue approximately 1.4 meters tall is on display at the Tofukuji Museum, which exhibits Buddhist art held by Tofukuji Temple of the Omuro school of Shingon Buddhism. The museum also displays an approximately 1.8-meter-tall Eleven-Headed Thousand-Armed Kannon, a gilt-bronze Buddhist votive plaque from the mid-Kamakura period, and Buddhist statues from Thailand and Tibet, allowing visitors to compare different works at close range. Established in 1990, the museum preserves and exhibits approximately 1,000 items including Buddhist paintings, other paintings, and crafts from the temple's collection. Admission is free; the museum opens 9:00–17:00 and closes during December.
Jorokuji Temple
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県徳島市丈六町丈領32
Visiting Status Normally viewable through a small viewing window; close interior viewing only on special opening dates (next date unannounced)
DignitySolemnityDepth
Jorokuji, a Soto Zen temple nicknamed the 'Horyuji of Awa,' houses a large seated wooden Sho Kannon Bosatsu in its Kannon Hall. Believed to date to the late Heian period, the statue is an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The temple takes its name from the statue's traditional height of one jo six shaku if it were standing. The Kannon Hall itself, rebuilt during the Edo period, is also an Important Cultural Property. The statue underwent conservation work starting in 2015 and was reopened for public viewing in 2018. Normally, it can be worshipped through a small viewing window; opportunities to see it up close inside are restricted to special openings.
Anrakuji Temple
Buddhist Image Aizen Myo-o (Ragaraja) Statue Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
徳島県板野郡上板町引野字寺の西北8
Visiting Status Viewable inside Daishi Hall (confirm visiting hours in advance)
PowerTense PresenceSolemnity
The Aizen Myoo statue in Daishi Hall at Anrakuji, Temple No. 6 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, was carved from Japanese cypress by Kyoto master Buddhist sculptor Matsumoto Myokei. The temple states that it received the Kyoto Mayor's Award. The hall also enshrines statues of Kobo Daishi and Fudo Myoo by the same sculptor, along with 35 additional Buddhist statues. Anrakuji remains a place of devotion for protection from misfortune, and worshippers can see these images inside Daishi Hall.
Unpenji Temple
Buddhist Image Five Hundred Rakan (Arhat) Statues Category Other
徳島県三好市池田町白地ノロウチ763
Visiting Status Outdoor worship possible daily (8:00–17:00)
MysteryWarmthSolemnity
Although located in Miyoshi, Tokushima Prefecture, Unpenji is counted as Temple No. 66, the first of the Sanuki (Kagawa) temples on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. At an elevation of about 911 meters, approximately 500 life-size arhat statues stand outdoors throughout its mountain grounds, displaying many different faces and postures that visitors can see up close. The grounds also contain a reclining image of Shakyamuni and a bronze Bishamonten statue about 10 meters tall, offering a striking collection of Buddhist sculptures in a mountain setting. A ropeway takes visitors from the foothills to the summit. While the principal image in the main hall, a seated Thousand-Armed Kannon, is completely hidden from public view, the outdoor arhat statues may be viewed freely during temple hours.
Hashikuraji Temple
Buddhist Image Stone Statues of the Five Great Wisdom Kings (Godairiki) Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
徳島県三好市池田町州津蔵谷1006
Visiting Status Outdoor worship possible during daytime (confirm visiting hours)
PowerDignityTense Presence
Stone statues of the Five Great Wisdom Kings stand in the grounds of Hashikuraji Temple, whose principal deity is Konpira Daigongen, with fierce expressions carved into their faces. Visitors can see images of Fudo Myoo, Gozanze Myoo, Kongoyasha Myoo and other Wisdom Kings at close range outdoors. Hashikuraji is Temple No. 15 on the Shikoku 20 Extra Temples Pilgrimage and No. 4 on the Shikoku 36 Fudo Pilgrimage, and tradition holds that Kobo Daishi founded it in 828. Buildings rebuilt in the late Edo period, including the main sanctuary (honden), Goma Hall and abbot's quarters, are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Visitors can also use a ropeway to reach the extensive mountain temple grounds.
Jurakuji Temple
Buddhist Image Jusan Fudo Myo-o Stone Statue Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
徳島県阿波市土成町高尾字法教田58
Visiting Status Outdoor worship possible during daytime (confirm visiting hours)
PowerTense PresenceDepth
A large stone statue of Fudo Myoo, about 3 meters tall, stands on the western side of the grounds of Jurakuji, Temple No. 7 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. Its fierce expression seems to look down upon visitors. Named 'Thirteen Fudo Myoo,' it was erected in memory of members of the 13th class of naval aviation reserve students who died in kamikaze missions during World War II, and as a prayer for lasting peace. Besides the main hall enshrining Amida Nyorai, the grounds include an Aizen Myoo image and a Jizo statue venerated for healing eye ailments, offering different places for prayer. The outdoor Fudo statue can be viewed and worshipped at close range.
Tatsueji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Enmei Jizo Bosatsu (Koyasu Jizo) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県小松島市立江町字若松13
Visiting Status Worship possible in main hall (stamp-office hours 8:00–17:00; confirm interior viewing on site)
GentlenessPeacefulnessSolemnity
The principal image of Tatsueji, Temple No. 19 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, is an Enmei Jizo Bodhisattva statue approximately 1.9 meters tall. Affectionately known as Koyasu Jizo, it attracts worshippers praying for safe childbirth and the well-being of children. Temple tradition says that Gyoki made a small golden Jizo image at the command of Emperor Shomu to pray for Empress Komyo's safe delivery, and Kobo Daishi later carved a larger statue and enclosed the small image inside it. The principal image survived a fire in 1974 and is enshrined in the main hall rebuilt in 1977. The hall's colorful painted coffered ceiling is another attraction. Tatsueji is also known as the 'Great Checkpoint of Shikoku' on the pilgrimage.
Joren-an (Ipponsugi-an)
Buddhist Image Standing Kobo Daishi Statue (Smiling Daishi) Category Other
徳島県名西郡神山町下分
Visiting Status Outdoor worship available at any time (free)
WarmthStillnessDepth
Joren-an stands at a mountain pass about 730 meters above sea level on the steep pilgrimage route from Fujii-dera, Temple No. 11, to Shosanji, Temple No. 12, of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. The approximately 3-meter-tall bronze standing statue of Kobo Daishi, also called the Smiling Daishi, was donated along with 42 stone steps in 1926 by Kawachi Ikutaro of Kyoto. Behind it rises the giant Sochi Ipponsugi cedar, approximately 30 meters tall and 8 meters in trunk circumference, which is designated a Natural Monument of Tokushima Prefecture. Tradition holds that Kobo Daishi dreamed of Amida Nyorai here, enshrined an image and planted the cedar. Visitors can freely worship the outdoor statue; parking and toilets are provided.
Torinin Temple
Buddhist Image Miroku Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県鳴門市大麻町大谷字山田59
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (temple viewing guide: 7:00–17:00, free; request at stamp office or entrance)
GentlenessNobilityRefinement
Torinin preserves a seated wooden Miroku Bosatsu dating to the late Heian period. The 96.6-centimeter-high statue is constructed from joined Japanese cypress, with a full, gentle face, sloping shoulders and finely carved robes over its crossed legs. It makes an unusual gesture with twisted fingers of both hands and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. An inscription on its pedestal records that it was formerly enshrined at Kitamuroin on Mount Koya and later moved to Torinin during the Edo period. Restored between 1998 and 2000, it received a newly built Miroku Hall in 2023. The temple's official viewing guide says visitors can request free viewing at the stamp office or entrance, although ceremonies may cause delays; confirm arrangements before visiting.
Tokushima Prefectural Museum
Buddhist Image Juichimen Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県徳島市八万町向寺山
Visiting Status On permanent display, 9:30–17:00 (admission fee; closed Mondays or the next day if a holiday, and Dec 29–Jan 4)
RefinementGentlenessDepth
This standing Eleven-Headed Kannon Bodhisattva from Shoren-in Temple in Tokushima City is a Tangible Cultural Property designated by Tokushima Prefecture. Dating from the Heian period, probably the 10th–11th century, the approximately 155-centimeter-tall wooden statue has its head and torso carved from a single piece of Japanese nutmeg-yew wood. It bears ten faces above its main head, holds a water vase with a lotus in its left hand, and has an unusually short hem that reveals the lower legs. An inscription on the pedestal records restoration in 1541. Deposited at the Tokushima Prefectural Museum for preservation, the image has been on permanent display since 2021, allowing visitors to study this early Buddhist sculpture at close range.
Saimyoji Temple
Buddhist Image Standing Wooden Bishamonten (Tobatsu Bishamonten) Category Tenbu (Deva)
徳島県美馬市脇町大字北庄1308
Visiting Status Normally closed; displayed annually on April 3
DignityPowerMystery
Saimyoji, Temple No. 3 on the Shikoku 36 Fudo Pilgrimage, preserves a wooden standing Bishamonten in its treasure hall. Believed to date from the late Heian period, the 151.6-centimeter-tall statue is carved from a single block of Japanese cypress. It takes the form of Tobatsu Bishamonten, supported by the earth goddess Jiten and attended by the two demons Biramba and Nairamba. The spear in the right hand and pagoda in the left are considered later additions, so its original identification as Tobatsu Bishamonten is uncertain. It was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1911. The temple is also known as the 'Temple of Bush Clover,' and the usually hidden statue is opened for viewing on April 3 each year.
Nyoirinji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Wooden Nyoirin Kannon (Cintamanicakra Avalokiteshvara) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県徳島市多家良町中津2-2
Visiting Status Hidden image: New Year unveiling January 1–3 and Ketsuen Gokaicho April 29–May 5 (confirm dates in advance)
NobilityMysteryRefinement
The principal image of Nyoirinji on the slopes of Mount Nakatsumine is a wooden seated Nyoirin Kannon dating probably to the late Kamakura period and designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The 102.0-centimeter-tall statue is made using joined-wood construction and inset crystal eyes. With six arms, it sits on a lotus pedestal with its right knee raised, lightly touching its cheek with the bent fingers of its right hand. Its designation as an Important Cultural Property of Japan dates to 1911. Temple tradition traces its foundation to Kobo Daishi's encounter with Kannon during his religious practice, and it later flourished as a prayer temple for the Hachisuka lords of Awa. Normally hidden from view, the principal image can be seen during the New Year unveiling on January 1–3 and the Ketsuen Gokaicho on April 29–May 5, according to the temple's guidance. Visitors should confirm the dates in advance.
Kirihataji Temple
Buddhist Image Hatakiri Kannon Statue Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県阿波市市場町切幡字観音129
Visiting Status Viewable on the temple grounds (outdoors; confirm visiting hours in advance)
WarmthGentlenessMystery
On the grounds of Kirihataji, Temple No. 10 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, stands a bronze statue depicting a weaving girl who, according to temple legend, transformed into Thousand-Armed Kannon. Unusually for a Kannon image, the statue holds scissors in its right hand and a length of cloth in its left, hence the name Hatakiri Kannon. The legend tells how the girl generously cut off a piece of the cloth she was weaving to give to Kobo Daishi on his travels. Impressed by her kindness, he initiated her into Buddhist practice, after which she attained Buddhahood in her present body. Visitors can see the statue outdoors beyond the main and Daishi halls. The grounds also contain a pagoda built by Toyotomi Hideyori and later relocated here, designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Tofukuji Temple
Buddhist Image Child-Rearing Kannon (Standing Sho Kannon Bosatsu) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県美馬郡つるぎ町貞光字木屋341
Visiting Status Viewable outdoors on temple grounds (confirm visiting hours in advance)
GentlenessPeacefulnessSolemnity
A five-meter-tall standing Sho Kannon Bodhisattva carved from granite stands on the grounds of Tofukuji, an Omuro-school Shingon temple. Including its pedestal, the monument stands eight meters high. It was erected to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the temple's summer training program for elementary-school children and consecrated on July 30, 2005. Known as the Child-Rearing Kannon, it is revered with wishes for children's healthy growth. Inside the pedestal is a prayer space enshrining a one-faced, six-armed image of Nyoirin Kannon. The large Sho Kannon stands outdoors and can be worshipped from the temple grounds. Tofukuji also has a museum exhibiting Buddhist art.
Kumadaniji Temple
Buddhist Image Standing Kongo Rikishi Guardians (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
徳島県阿波市土成町土成字前田185
Visiting Status Viewable from the Niomon Gate outdoors (confirm visiting hours in advance)
PowerDignityTense Presence
A pair of Kongo Rikishi guardian statues, Agyo and Ungyo, stand on opposite sides of the Niomon Gate at the entrance to Kumadaniji, Temple No. 8 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. Their fierce expressions and forceful poses greet visitors, and traces of their former coloring remain. Built in 1687, the approximately 13-meter-high and 9-meter-wide gate is among the largest wooden Niomon gates on the pilgrimage and is a Tangible Cultural Property designated by Tokushima Prefecture. Temple legend says the guardian statues once returned on their own overnight after an attempt was made to move them to another temple. The statues stand inside the gate at the beginning of the approach, apart from the main temple buildings, where visitors can view them at close range.
Tofukuji Temple
Buddhist Image Eleven-Headed Thousand-Armed Kannon Statue Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県美馬郡つるぎ町貞光字木屋341
Visiting Status Museum viewing 9:00–17:00 (free; closed in December)
SolemnityNobilityDepth
The Tofukuji Museum, which displays Buddhist art belonging to Tofukuji of the Omuro school of Shingon Buddhism, exhibits an Eleven-Headed Thousand-Armed Kannon statue about 1.8 meters tall. Visitors can see at close range this form of Kannon Bodhisattva with eleven faces and many arms. Other exhibits include a seated Kongokai Dainichi Nyorai about 1.4 meters tall, a gilt-bronze Buddhist votive plaque from the mid-Kamakura period, gilded Buddhist images from Thailand, and wooden Buddhist images from Tibet, offering comparisons of Buddhist art from different regions and periods. Opened in November 1990, the museum preserves and displays works from the temple's collection of about 1,000 objects. Admission is free, opening hours are 9:00–17:00, and the museum closes in December.
Ryozenji Temple
Buddhist Image Enmusubi Kannon (Kannon of Good Connections) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県鳴門市大麻町板東字塚鼻126
Visiting Status Outdoor worship available 7:00–17:00 (open year-round)
GentlenessWarmthPeacefulness
At Ryozenji, Temple No. 1 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, a Kannon statue known as Enmusubi Kannon stands just inside the Niomon Gate. It is revered for forming good connections not only in relationships but also with health, work and happiness. Some worshippers pray while gently cleansing the statue with water. Ryozenji is known as the 'Temple of Setting Out,' the starting point of the Shikoku pilgrimage; temple tradition says Gyoki founded it during the Tenpyo era (729–749). Nearby stands a pagoda built during the Oei era (1394–1428), which houses the Five Wisdom Buddhas but is not open to visitors. The Enmusubi Kannon can be worshipped outdoors.
Dainichiji Temple (No. 13)
Buddhist Image Shiawase Kannon (Happiness Kannon) Statue Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
徳島県徳島市一宮町西丁263
Visiting Status Viewable outdoors on temple grounds (confirm visiting hours in advance)
GentlenessWarmthPeacefulness
At Dainichiji, Temple No. 13 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, a sculpture known as Shiawase Kannon stands in the center of the grounds. A small, brightly painted Kannon Bodhisattva holding a lotus is nestled inside a pair of large hands pressed together in prayer. Its gentle expression attracts worshippers praying for happiness, and the unusual arrangement of praying hands makes it especially distinctive. Close by, the old sacred Ogatama tree spreads its branches between the main and Daishi halls. Temple tradition says Kobo Daishi founded Dainichiji in 815 after receiving a message from Dainichi Nyorai. Following the separation of Buddhism and Shinto during the Meiji era, an Eleven-Headed Kannon transferred from the neighboring Ichinomiya Shrine became its principal image. Shiawase Kannon can be worshipped outdoors.
Jorakuji Temple
Buddhist Image Araragi Daishi (Seated Kobo Daishi Stone Statue) Category Other
徳島県徳島市国府町延命606
Visiting Status Viewable outdoors on the temple grounds (confirm visiting hours in advance)
WarmthPeacefulnessStillness
In front of the main hall at Jorakuji, Temple No. 14 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, stands a sacred araragi (Japanese yew) tree. Nestled between its branching trunks is a small stone statue of Kobo Daishi with a gentle expression, affectionately known as Araragi Daishi. Temple tradition says Kobo Daishi boiled the araragi tree to prepare medicine for an elderly man suffering from illness, and the man recovered. The image remains a focus of prayers for relief especially from diabetes. The sacred tree is approximately 10 meters tall and 8 meters in trunk circumference, allowing visitors to see the little statue embraced by the old tree outdoors. The grounds also feature the Flowing Rock Garden of exposed bedrock, and Jorakuji is the only temple on the Shikoku pilgrimage with Miroku Bodhisattva as its principal image.