Find Buddhist Spots
A connection with a Buddha image may appear unexpectedly. Search for places that may lead you to your own My Buddha.
Yashimaji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Wooden Thousand-Armed Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
香川県高松市屋島東町1808
Visiting Status Viewable in the museum, 9:30–16:30 (irregular closures; admission fee)
PowerDignitySolemnity
The principal image of Yashimaji, Temple No. 84 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, is now displayed in its treasure museum and is an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The seated Thousand-Armed Kannon is thought to date from the early 10th century, in the early Heian period. The head and much of the body were carved from a single block of Japanese nutmeg-yew wood. Its full cheeks, thick neck, powerful body and many arms are distinctive. Apart from some of the small Buddha figures on its head and some attributes held in its hands, the statue retains much of its original form, including its halo. Formerly enshrined in the main hall, it remains the temple's principal object of worship. The museum opens 9:30–16:30, with irregular closures, and adult admission is ¥500.
Negoroji Temple
Buddhist Image Mantai Kannon (Tens of Thousands of Kannon Statues) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
香川県高松市中山町1506
Visiting Status Viewable in the corridor before the main hall (7:00–17:00)
SolemnityDepthStillness
At Negoroji, Temple No. 82 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, a U-shaped corridor leading toward the main hall displays approximately 33,000 small Kannon statues donated by worshippers from across Japan. Known as Mantai Kannon, they line the approach to the main hall, allowing visitors to observe up close the combined prayers of countless people. These statues are separate from the temple's principal Thousand-Armed Kannon image. They stand along the usual worship route and may be viewed during visiting hours, 7:00–17:00.
Shodoshima Daikannon Busshiji Temple
Buddhist Image Shodoshima Great Kannon (Shiawase Kannon) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
香川県小豆郡土庄町小馬越乙1
Visiting Status Open 8:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30; adults ¥500)
GentlenessSolemnityPeacefulness
This enormous white Kannon statue rises above Shodoshima Island and is affectionately known as the 'Kannon of Happiness.' It was erected in 1995 with the support of parishioners of Koyasu Kannonji and pilgrims of the Shodoshima 88 Temple Pilgrimage, among others. The statue is reported to have received the Grand Prix in the ARC+ competition in France. Inside are approximately 14,000 small Buddhist images (tainaibutsu) and a principal image. At the top, Shakaden Hall enshrines a relic of the Buddha's tooth received from the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Sri Lanka. The hall's observation room offers views of the Seto Inland Sea and the island. Open year-round, 8:00–17:00, last entry 16:30; admission for adults is ¥500.
Sanuki Kokubunji Temple
Buddhist Image Dainichi Nyorai 'THE FIRST BUTSUZO' Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
香川県高松市国分寺町国分2065
Visiting Status Normally viewable through glass from outside; indoor viewing on Sundays in Oct–Nov 2026 (paid; no entry for children under 10)
SolemnityDignityMystery
Sanuki Kokubunji, Temple No. 80 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, houses a contemporary Dainichi Nyorai statue approximately 4 m tall, named 'THE FIRST BUTSUZO.' Created over about 15 years, it aims to express in modern form the esoteric Buddhist worldview taught by Kobo Daishi Kukai. Its halo depicts the Thirty-Seven Deities of the Diamond Realm, its crown the Five Buddhas of the Womb Realm, and its pedestal is supported by eight lions. Wood carving, lacquer, gold leaf, coloring, and lighting are combined in its presentation. It can normally be seen through large glass panels from outside the hall. Indoor close-up viewing is offered every Sunday from October 4 through the end of November 2026, 9:30–12:00 and 13:30–16:00, ¥1,000 for adults. Children under 10 are not admitted to preserve a quiet atmosphere.
Kotohira-gu Shrine
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Eleven-Headed Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
香川県仲多度郡琴平町892-1
Visiting Status Museum viewing 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30; adults ¥800; check opening days)
RefinementNobilityStillness
Displayed at the Kotohira-gu Treasure Museum, this standing wooden Eleven-Headed Kannon dates to the Heian period. Standing 144 cm high and carved from a single block of Japanese cypress, it was formerly the principal image of the Kannon Hall at Konko-in, the Buddhist temple that administered the shrine during the era of combined Shinto and Buddhist practice. The statue is an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Although its pedestal and held objects have been lost, much of the original coloring survives. Its gentle, refined face and deeply carved, orderly robe folds convey the art of the period. Although now housed in a Shinto shrine museum, it is a rare opportunity to see this Buddhist image. Admission is 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30), adults ¥800. In 2026 the museum opens on weekends and holidays, April 29–May 6, October 1–November 30 (closed Tuesdays, or the next weekday if a holiday), and December 30–January 3. Check for changes.
Shidoji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Enma Daio (King of the Underworld) Category Other
香川県さぬき市志度1102
Visiting Status Normally closed; opened on the 17th of each month (may be canceled; confirm ahead)
DignityTense PresenceDepth
The seated wooden Enma Daio in the Enma Hall of Shidoji, Temple No. 86 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, dates to the Muromachi period. Made of joined wood and 142 cm tall, it represents the king who judges the dead. At this temple, Enma is regarded as a manifestation of the principal Eleven-Headed Kannon and uniquely wears a crown topped by a small Buddha figure and additional faces. He is flanked by Shimei (69 cm), who governs lifespan, and Shiroku (70 cm), who records good and bad deeds. The Edo-period Enma Hall building is a Tangible Cultural Property designated by Kagawa Prefecture. The hall opens for viewing on the 17th of each month, but some months may be canceled, so advance confirmation is necessary.
Kiyotakisan Mountain Sanctuary
Buddhist Image Oya Fudo Myo-o Statue (about 10 m tall) Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
香川県小豆郡小豆島町安田乙18-3
Visiting Status Viewable on the temple grounds (confirm visiting hours in advance)
PowerDignityMystery
At Kiyotakisan, Temple No. 14 on the Shodoshima 88 Temple Pilgrimage, a towering Oya Fudo Myoo statue approximately 10 m high stands below a sheer rock face on the western side of the grounds. According to the official pilgrimage association, it is revered as the parent image of 10,000 Fudo figures donated by devotees. This mountain sanctuary, at an elevation of around 500 m, has two caves: Jihi Cave houses Enmei Jizo Bodhisattva, while Goma-kutsu (the Cave of Subduing Demons) houses a standing Fudo Myoo. In front of the main hall is a Kongo-shoku Bodhisattva statue that visitors touch on the part corresponding to where they seek relief. Various Buddhist figures can thus be worshipped among dramatic rock formations. A road reaches near the sanctuary, but steps and mountain paths remain within the grounds.
Sekimondo
Buddhist Image Great Stone Fudo Myo-o Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
香川県小豆郡小豆島町神懸通乙168
Visiting Status Viewable from the grounds (mountain paths; confirm visiting hours)
PowerTense PresenceMystery
At Sekimondo, Temple No. 18 on the Shodoshima 88 Temple Pilgrimage, a great Fudo Myoo stone statue approximately 8.5 m tall stands against a rocky cliff. Made by assembling stone sections, it is attributed to Tanaka Sakuji of Tango. Statues of the attendants Kongara Doji and Seitaka Doji stand nearby, creating a powerful atmosphere amid the towering rocks. This mountain sanctuary is known for its natural rock gateway and caves. Its principal image is Shogun Jizo Bodhisattva; the large Fudo image is a separate object of worship that can be seen from the grounds. Stone steps and mountain paths require care underfoot.
Takei Kannonji Temple
Buddhist Image Horse-Headed Kannon (Bato Kannon) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
香川県高松市庵治町5340-1
Visiting Status Worship possible inside the cave (photography prohibited; confirm visiting hours)
MysteryStillnessPurity
The inner sanctuary of Takei Kannonji stands at Takei Kannon Cape, the northernmost point of Shikoku's main island. A path along the sea and the Chomei Bridge over the rocks lead to a cave enshrining Horse-Headed Kannon. According to local tradition, Ikoma Chikamasa installed the image as a guardian of the northeast direction when Takamatsu Castle was built. Later, the Takamatsu lord Matsudaira Yorishige is said to have enshrined Seishi Bodhisattva and Eleven-Headed Kannon there as well. The rugged seaside rock formations and dim cave form a distinctive place of worship, and ordinary visitors can pray inside. Photography is prohibited inside the cave, and care is needed on the rocky coastal approach.
Kasagataki, Inner Sanctuary of Ryokoji
Buddhist Image Fudo Myo-o and Stone Statues of the Thirty-Six Attendant Boys Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
香川県小豆郡土庄町笠滝乙56
Visiting Status Worship in the sanctuary 8:00–14:00 (steep rocks and chains on the approach)
PowerTense PresenceMystery
The inner sanctuary of Ryokoji, Temple No. 72 of the Shodoshima 88 Temple Pilgrimage, enshrines Fudo Myoo in a hall built against a sheer cliff. Visitors climb natural rock faces with the help of chains and pass through a narrow cave opening known as the 'Passage of Happiness' to reach the hall. Near the summit stand stone statues of the Thirty-Six Attendant Boys of Fudo Myoo, while statues representing the principal deities of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage are scattered along the training route. The demanding ascent expresses the site's nature as a place of ascetic practice and brings worshippers close to Buddhist stone figures. Visiting hours are 8:00–14:00. Suitable clothing and nonslip shoes are essential because of the steep rocky sections and chains.
Emon-no-taki (Emon-no-Fudo)
Buddhist Image Fudo Myo-o for Protection from Misfortune Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
香川県小豆郡土庄町小部乙159
Visiting Status Viewable in the main hall (check visiting hours; steep steps and chain-assisted climbing)
PowerDignityTense Presence
Emon-no-taki, Temple No. 81 on the Shodoshima 88 Temple Pilgrimage, is a mountain sanctuary whose red-painted main hall clings to a sheer rock face. Pilgrims climb stone steps and use iron chains on steep rock sections, pass between large statues of Kongara Doji and Seitaka Doji, and enter the hall to worship a Fudo Myoo revered for warding off misfortune. A different, principal Fudo image is enshrined deeper inside a cave and is a secret Buddhist image (hibutsu) unveiled only once every thirty years; it cannot normally be viewed. According to tradition, Kobo Daishi performed a hundred days of fire rituals in the cave. Prayers for protection from misfortune and other wishes continue today. The steep steps and chain sections require special care.
Daikoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Kongo Rikishi Guardians (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
香川県三豊市山本町辻4209
Visiting Status Viewable at the gate during regular temple visits (grounds open freely; stamp office 7:00–17:00)
PowerDignityTense Presence
At the guardian gate of Daikoji, Temple No. 67 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, stand a pair of imposing wooden Kongo Rikishi statues, each 3.14 m tall. They are among the largest Nio guardians along the entire pilgrimage. Made of joined Japanese cypress with painted surfaces, their massive bodies and dynamically carved drapery convey the powerful style of early Kamakura-period sculpture. Temple tradition attributes them to Unkei, although their maker has not been established. The two statues are Tangible Cultural Properties designated by Kagawa Prefecture and can be viewed up close on either side of the gateway welcoming pilgrims. The grounds are freely accessible; the stamp office operates 7:00–17:00.
Ganko-ji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Sho Kannon in Dry Lacquer Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
香川県さぬき市造田是弘1248
Visiting Status Viewable on the 8th of each month, 10:30–12:00 (advance reservation required)
RefinementNobilityPurity
This seated Sho Kannon Bodhisattva, believed to have been made in the late eighth century during the Nara period, is an Important Cultural Property of Japan. It was produced using the ancient hollow dry-lacquer technique, in which layers of hemp cloth and lacquer are applied over a clay model before the clay is removed. The statue is 80.9 cm tall. Its high topknot, youthful and refined face, and finely detailed chest ornaments convey the sophisticated Buddhist sculpture of the ancient capital. The principal image of Ganko-ji is Yakushi Nyorai; this Kannon is a separate treasured image. The original is housed in the temple's storehouse and may be viewed with advance registration on the 8th of each month from 10:30 to 12:00.
Shidoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Kongo Rikishi Guardians (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
香川県さぬき市志度1102
Visiting Status Visible at the guardian gate (confirm temple visiting hours)
PowerDignityTense Presence
A pair of wooden Kongo Rikishi guardian statues dating from the Kamakura period stand at the Niomon gate of Shidoji, Temple No. 86 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. The open-mouthed Naraen Kongo (Agyo) measures 304 cm in height, while the closed-mouthed Misshaku Kongo (Ungyo) measures 325 cm. Both were assembled from carved Japanese cypress sections. Their muscular bodies and powerful poses embody the dynamism of Kamakura sculpture. Tradition attributes them to Unkei, although the sculptor has not been established. Both statues are Tangible Cultural Properties designated by Kagawa Prefecture. The distinctive triple-roofed Niomon gate that houses them, built around 1670, is an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Visitors can worship the figures on either side of the temple entrance.
Iyadaniji Temple
Buddhist Image Kongoken Bosatsu (Kanabutsu-san) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
香川県三豊市三野町大見乙70
Visiting Status Viewable from the temple path (Daishi Hall 8:00–17:00; many stone steps)
PowerSolemnityMystery
At Iyadaniji, Temple No. 71 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, a large image known as 'Kanabutsu-san' stands along the path before the flight of 108 stone steps. This roughly 6 m tall metal statue represents Kongoken Bodhisattva. According to temple tradition, casting began in the Genroku era (1688–1704) and took approximately twenty years. Kongoken is one of the Sixteen Great Bodhisattvas of the Diamond Realm in esoteric Buddhism; at Iyadaniji, the image is revered in prayers for recovery from illness and the fulfillment of wishes. Visitors can worship this unusual, monumental figure from the outdoor approach. The temple has long been a center of mountain worship, and its grounds involve extensive stone steps.
Jinnein and Kannonji Temples
Buddhist Image Reclining Buddha Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
香川県観音寺市八幡町1-2-7
Visiting Status Normally closed; viewing on February 15 and April 8 (confirm opening hours)
PeacefulnessDepthStillness
The Treasure Museum at the shared precincts of Jinnein, Temple No. 68, and Kannonji, Temple No. 69, on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage houses a nationally designated Important Cultural Property: a wooden image of the reclining Buddha entering nirvana. Dating to the late Heian period, the 74 cm sculpture is made of joined Japanese cypress wood and left unpainted. Three-dimensional wooden representations of Shakyamuni's passing are rare in Japan, and the flowing folds of the robe show powerful, delicate carving. Normally kept in the museum, the image can be viewed each year on February 15, the Buddha's Nirvana observance, and April 8, the Buddha's Birthday festival. Visiting hours should be confirmed with the temples in advance.
Ikiki Jizo
Buddhist Image Living-Tree Jizo Bosatsu Statue Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
香川県観音寺市大野原町大野原1208
Visiting Status Visible through glass inside Jizo Hall (confirm visiting hours)
MysteryWarmthDepth
This standing Jizo Bodhisattva, approximately 150 cm tall, is carved inside the trunk of a living camphor tree believed to be around 1,200 years old and about 30 m high. In the Tenpo era of the Edo period, a local resident named Moriyasu Rizaemon is said to have completed the Shikoku Pilgrimage while praying for his sick daughter Nao, then spent about three months carving the image into the tree. The tree continues to live and grow, while visitors can still worship the Jizo figure through a glass window inside its adjoining hall. This unusually intimate place of faith is preserved as a designated Natural Monument of Kanonji City, encompassing the statue and the great tree. People visit to pray for longevity and recovery from illness. Parking is available.
Goshoji Temple
Buddhist Image Mantai Kannon Statues Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
香川県綾歌郡宇多津町1435
Visiting Status Viewable in Mantai Kannon Cave, 8:00–17:00 (confirm changes)
SolemnityDepthStillness
Beside Daishi Hall at Goshoji, Temple No. 78 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, steps descend to an underground sanctuary known as Mantai Kannon Cave, where tens of thousands of small Kannon statues are said to be enshrined. Rows of golden figures cover the walls of dim corridors, allowing visitors to walk and pray among them. For memorial services for lost children and ancestors, the temple dedicates one Kannon statue to each soul and keeps the image permanently even after the memorial service period ends. The temple's principal image is Amida Nyorai; these Kannon figures are separate objects of worship. Ordinary visitors can enter the cave, for which visiting hours are given as 8:00–17:00.
Zentsuji Temple
Buddhist Image One Hundred and Eight Arhat Statues Category Other
香川県善通寺市善通寺町3-3-1
Visiting Status Viewable from the corridor (access may be restricted during services; confirm visiting hours)
WarmthDepthStillness
At Zentsuji, Temple No. 75 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, 108 arhat statues are displayed along a corridor beside Goma Hall, north of Mieido Hall in the western precinct. Created in the late Edo period, they originally formed part of the Five Hundred Arhats surrounding the principal Yakushi Nyorai in the eastern precinct's Kondo. The surviving 108 figures were moved to the western precinct, where visitors can see their distinctive poses and facial expressions up close. A different set of stone Five Hundred Arhats was donated along the eastern precinct walls in 2006; this entry concerns the older group of 108. The corridor lies along the usual worship route, though access can be restricted during religious services.
Zentsuji Temple
Buddhist Image Four Buddhas of the Diamond Realm (Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, Amoghasiddhi) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
香川県善通寺市善通寺町3-3-1
Visiting Status Normally closed; special opening during Golden Week each year (in 2026: Apr 26–May 6, 9:00–16:00, last admission 15:30; adults ¥500)
SolemnityDignityMystery
On the first level of the five-storied pagoda at Zentsuji, Temple No. 75 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, four of the Five Wisdom Buddhas of esoteric Buddhism surround the central pillar. Akshobhya to the east rides a white elephant; Ratnasambhava to the south rides a horse; Amitabha to the west rides a peacock; and Amoghasiddhi to the north rides a garuda, each with a distinct appearance. The central Dainichi Nyorai is housed in a shrine on the fifth level and remains closed to the public, even during special openings. The present pagoda was completed in 1902 and is an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Its first and second levels are specially opened each Golden Week. In 2026 the opening ran April 26–May 6, from 9:00 to 16:00 (last admission 15:30), for ¥500 per adult. Check the temple's official announcements for future dates.