Shohekizan Banshoin Temple
Main Image Two Kongo Rikishi (Nio Guardian Kings) Category Tenbu (Deva)
Impression TagsPowerDignitySolemnity
DescriptionTwo Kongo Rikishi guardian kings stand in the red main gate of Banshoin, the family temple of Tsushima's ruling So clan. Believed to ward off evil and protect the temple, these Nio guardians are noted in a government-issued multilingual visitor guide. Banshoin was established in 1615 by So Yoshinari to commemorate his father, Yoshitoshi. Its gate, surviving from the Momoyama period, is regarded as among Tsushima's oldest wooden buildings. Both the gate and statues survived fires that destroyed other parts of the temple. Beyond them a flight of 132 stone steps leads to the So family tombs, making the historic gate and its guardian images an integral part of the visit. The statues' own dates of creation and cultural-property designations have not been confirmed.
Basic Information
Visit posts for this spot
No visit posts yet.