Must-see in Kochi! 7 recommended temples and shrines
2022-09-13 Management office
Kochi is home to the 88 sacred sites of Shikoku, numbered 24 through 39, and is a town where many pilgrims walk.
The 88 sacred shrines of Shikoku are also recommended, and there are many temples in Kochi that are also highly recommended. In particular, since the area is associated with Kukai, you can follow in his footsteps. Please enjoy the temples, shrines, and Buddhist temples in Kochi, which are full of history.
The 88 sacred shrines of Shikoku are also recommended, and there are many temples in Kochi that are also highly recommended. In particular, since the area is associated with Kukai, you can follow in his footsteps. Please enjoy the temples, shrines, and Buddhist temples in Kochi, which are full of history.
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Management office
Table of Contents
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Bamboo Forest Temple
Chikurinji Temple is one of Japan's three monju (sacred places) and is the 31st temple of the 88 sacred places on Shikoku Island. It is also one of the three most famous gardens in Kochi Prefecture and is designated as a national place of scenic beauty.
Located on top of a mountain with a great view, the temple has many attractions such as a five-story pagoda and a Muromachi style garden. Because of its location in the mountains, the temple offers spectacular views of the four seasons, making it a famous sightseeing spot in Kochi that attracts many tourists as a scenic spot.
You can have a temple experience!
For those who have come all the way to the temple, Chikurin-ji offers a sutra copying experience, meditation experience, pilgrimage experience, and Ikkyu-san training for children.
In Shakyo, you can copy the sutra with a brush and ink, and since there is also a sutra dedication ceremony, you can leave with the sutra as it is. You will be able to feel a sense of sacredness, so please join us. Even first-time visitors will be gently guided through the process.
"Facility Information "
Name: Chikurinji Temple
Address: 〒781-8125 Gudaiyama 3577, Kochi-shi, Kochi
Phone number: 088-882-3085
Business hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed: Open every day
Budget: Free
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: Located on Mount Godaisan in Kochi City, this temple is one of Japan's three monju (sacred places) and the 31st temple of the 88 sacred places on Shikoku Island.
URL：http://www.chikurinji.com/
Seikeiji Temple
Seikeiji Temple is the 33rd temple of the 88 sacred places on Shikoku Island that can be easily reached in Kochi City.
It is also said to be beneficial for eye diseases. It is also said to stop the progression of eye disease, as Monk Taiken made seven pilgrimages barefoot despite having a near-blind eye.
There is also a bronze statue of Monk Taegen at Seikei-ji Temple.
The temple also houses a statue of Yakushi Nyorai and a statue of Bishamonten (three images of Bishamonten), which are designated as important cultural properties.
88 Reikosho Shrine
It is said that Shikoku is one country, and that by visiting all 88 sacred places, one can visit all the gods. It is said that visiting the 88 sacred places in order is called "Sein-uchi" and visiting them in reverse order is called "Gyaku-uchi", and if you visit them in reverse order, you will visit them three times. However, it is not necessary to go in order, and it is said that you should go in the order that is most convenient for you, and receive the o-fuda and sutra. Most people think that it is enough to visit all of the temples over the course of a lifetime, so if you come to Shikoku, please drop by, even if only a little at a time.
"Facility Information "
Facility name: Seikeiji Temple
Address: 857-3 Nagahama, Kochi, Kochi 781-0270
Phone number: 088-837-2233
Hours of operation: 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed: Open every day
Budget: 500 yen for a deposit of 500 yen for worship
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: This is the 33rd temple of the 88 sacred places on Shikoku Island that can be easily reached in Kochi City. The temple is easy to get to and has many sights to see.
URL：https://88shikokuhenro.jp/33sekeiji/
Tosa Shrine
As the chief Shinto shrine of Tosa Province, it is the representative shrine of Kochi Prefecture.
The torii gate is made of wood, giving the shrine a large presence. Locals call the shrine Shinane-san or Shinane-sama, so called because of the Shinane forest located behind the shrine. Note that once a year on March 12, a Shinto ritual called the Igomori Festival is held and visitors are not allowed to enter the shrine grounds. The temple grounds cover an area of 10,000 tsubo (approximately 1,000 square meters), making it a power spot where visitors can be healed just by strolling around.
There is also a red seal at the shrine!
The 88 sacred places are temples, and although red seals for the 88 temples are not available, visitors can obtain red seals for the Tosa Shrine. It is said to be the oldest shrine in Kochi. The shrine was used as a filming location for NHK's morning drama Ryomaden, and many tourists come to the shrine as part of their pilgrimage to the holy place.
"Facility Information "
Facility name: Tosa Shrine
Address: 2-16-1 Ichinomiya-Shinane, Kochi-shi, Kochi 781-8131, Japan
Phone number: 088-845-1096
Hours of operation: 24 hours
Closed: Open every day
Budget: Free
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: As the chief deity of Tosa Province, this shrine is representative of Kochi Prefecture. It covers an area of 10,000 tsubo, and is also a power spot where visitors can be healed just by strolling around.
URL：http://www.tosajinja.i-tosa.com/
Kaitomi Shrine (Shinto shrine)
This uninhabited shrine is located on the cape of Ryuozaki in Katsurahama. Kaizumi-jinja Shrine stands on the cape on the right side of the photo. It is located at the edge of Katsurahama Beach, so it is a bit of a long walk, but many people go up to the cape to visit Kaizumi Shrine because the Pacific Ocean seen from the top of the cape looks beautiful. The stairs are a little steep, but both the stairs and the promenade are well maintained, making it easy to get to.
There is also a torii gate at the top of the stairs, where you can also draw fortunes and pray for safety at sea, good fishing, rain or shine, prosperous business, a good marriage, and victory.
When you go up the stairs, you will see a shrine and the sea!
Even if you can see the shrine on the cape, there are few places where you can climb up properly, so this is a recommended spot to stop by if you come to Katsurahama.
You can also see Katsurahama beach beautifully from below and above.
There is another shrine in Kochi Prefecture, Ryugu Shrine, which is built on a precipitous cliff, so be sure to visit it as a set. The Ryugu Shrine is on a high cliff, so be careful of the weather.
"Facility Information "
Facility name: Watatsumi Shrine
Address: 421 Tosayama, Kochi, Kochi 781-3201
Telephone number: No
Hours of operation: 24 hours
Closed: Open every day
Budget: Free
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: This uninhabited shrine is located on the cape of Ryuozaki on Katsurahama Beach. There are stairs to the shrine that can be climbed when going to the back of Katsurahama.
URL: None
Ryugu Shrine
Ryugu Shrine is a shrine built on a precipitous cliff. Located in Tosashimizu City, there is a torii gate and a shrine at the end of the cliff. It is also an unmanned shrine and a power spot with many legends. There is a well-maintained promenade, so it is easy to get there, but care should be taken when the weather is bad. Once you reach Ryugu Shrine, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view, which is also recommended as a scenic spot. The shrine is a bit of a hidden gem. The Ryugu Shrine is dedicated to the god of water.
Daytime is recommended!
Although the path is well maintained, it is not electrified, making it dangerous at night. Legend has it that people headed for Ryugu Shrine from this spot, and the shrine stands overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The area around Ryugu Shrine is also a popular spot for fishing, and there are many anglers here.
If you come to Cape Ashizuri, you should definitely stop by this little hidden shrine.
"Facility Information "
Facility name: Ryugu Shrine
Address: Matsuo, Tosashimizu, Kochi 787-0316
Phone number: 0880-82-3155
Hours of operation: 24 hours
Closed: Open every day
Budget: Free
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: Ryugu Shrine is a shrine built on a bluff. The shrine is a bit of a hidden gem, and the shrine overlooks the Pacific Ocean.
URL: None
Kochi Daishinomiya
Located near Kochi Castle, the Kochi Grand Shrine is a rare shrine where Tosa chickens walk around.
The first torii gate is a gold-colored gate with a flamboyant appearance typical of Kochi. Kochi is famous for long-tailed chickens, and there are many of them on Katsurahama Beach. Another feature of this shrine is that the guardian dogs are not dogs but guardian chickens.
Because of its easily accessible location, the temple attracts many tourists. It is also known as a god of prosperity, harmony, good health, improvement of skills, success in life, and protection from evil.
Yosakoi Inari Shrine in the Kochi Grand Shrine
The Yosakoi Inari Shrine is located in the Kochi Grand Shrine and is recommended to be visited together.
Yosakoi in Kochi is a dance performed during summer festivals and has become a nationally famous festival, and it is said to have originated at this shrine. Chickens are also free-range here, but they do not attack people, so don't worry.
It is famous in Kochi as the central shrine of the Ise faith.
"Facility Information "
Facility name: Kochi Daijingu (Kochi Grand Shrine)
Address: 2-7-2 Obiyacho, Obiyacho, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture, 780-0841
Phone number: 088-872-2635
Business hours: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Closed: Open every day
Budget: Free
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: Kochi Daijingu is a rare shrine with Tosa chickens walking around. It is also unique in that it is a guardian chicken instead of a guardian dog.
URL：https://www.yosakoi-inari.com/
(Okinawa) sacred site
Saimisaki-ji Temple in Muroto City is the 24th temple of the 88 sacred places on Shikoku Island, and the first temple in Kochi. Saimisaki-ji Temple is associated with Kukai, and the main hall and the other seven wonders of Kukai are scattered throughout the temple. It is also a sacred place where women were forbidden to enter the temple until 1872. After parking your car, you will have to walk along a mountain path for a while, so please be careful with your footing. The bell stone, a mysterious stone in the temple grounds, is said to reach the ears of the deceased, as it sounds like the sound of a bell when struck.
Cave near Mogisaki Temple
The cave near Saimisakiji Temple is said to be one of the places where Kobo Daishi practiced asceticism, and is therefore considered a power spot.
It is said that Kukai slept and woke up in this cave, and when he became enlightened, he saw the sky and the sea, hence the name Kukai. The sound of the waves at Cape Muroto, and the fact that only the sky and the sea can be seen from the cave side, allows visitors to feel the same view that Kukai saw.
summary
The cave near Saimisakiji Temple is said to be one of the places where Kobo Daishi practiced asceticism, and is therefore considered a power spot.
It is said that Kukai slept and woke up in this cave, and when he became enlightened, he saw the sky and the sea, hence the name Kukai. The sound of the waves at Cape Muroto, and the fact that only the sky and the sea can be seen from the cave side, allows visitors to feel the same view that Kukai saw.
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