Ryozen-ji Temple

Little knownBarely documented in English. This is the kind of place the site exists for.

Recherche et rédaction Hinato

Ryozen-ji88 Temple PilgrimageShikoku henroKobo Daishipilgrimage start

Photo: そらみみ / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · original

Ryozen-ji (霊山寺) is Temple #1 of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage (四国八十八ヶ所, Shikoku Hachijū-Hakkasho), a 1,200km Buddhist pilgrimage route circling Shikoku Island that follows the footsteps of Kobo Daishi, who founded Shingon Buddhism. Pilgrims dressed in white vests (hakue) and conical hats begin their journey here, purchasing pilgrimage supplies (stamped books, walking sticks, bell) from the temple shop.

The temple grounds are modest but carry symbolic weight — the starting gate where thousands of pilgrims per year begin a spiritual journey that takes 40–60 days on foot, 10 days by car, or weeks by bicycle.

Informations essentielles

Horaires d'ouverture

7:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Fermé: Open year-round

Tarif d'entrée

Free entry | Stamp book (nōkyōchō): ¥1,200 | Walking stick: ¥1,500 | White vest: ¥2,000

Meilleure saison

Year-round | Spring (March-May) is most popular pilgrimage season

Durée de visite

30-60 minutes | Half day for temples #1-5 circuit

Comment s'y rendre

Informations d'accès

1 Bandōchō Bando, Naruto City. Near Bandō Station (JR Kōtoku Line). Free entry. Pilgrimage supplies available in temple shop. Stamp book (納経帳, nōkyōchō): ¥1,200. Walking stick: ¥1,500. White vest: ¥2,000.

Guide d'initié

**Starting the pilgrimage:** Most pilgrims buy a stamp book (nōkyōchō) and collect calligraphy stamps (goshuin) at each temple (¥300/stamp) as proof of completion. Some do the full 88 temples; others visit a few temples as a mini-pilgrimage. There's no requirement to start at Temple #1, but it's traditional and provides proper context. **Ohenro (pilgrim) etiquette:** Pilgrims wear white hakue vests (symbolizing burial shrouds, representing spiritual death/rebirth), conical sedge hats, and carry kongō-zue walking sticks (representing Kobo Daishi walking alongside). Before entering temple gates, pilgrims bow, recite the Heart Sutra at the main hall and Daishi hall, then receive stamps. Non-pilgrims can visit freely but should remain quiet and respectful. **Multi-temple day trip:** Temple #1–5 are clustered near Naruto, making a half-day car circuit feasible. Suggested route: #1 Ryōzen-ji → #2 Gokurakuji (5km) → #3 Konsen-ji (3km) → #4 Dainichi-ji (2km) → #5 Jizō-ji (3km). Budget 30 minutes per temple. Total: 3 hours. **Temple #23 coastal detour:** While in Tokushima, consider visiting Yakuō-ji (薬王寺, Temple #23) in Anan City — dramatically positioned on a coastal mountain with ocean views. The climb up 33 steps (representing Buddhist realms) and 42 steps (yakudoshi, unlucky ages) is believed to ward off bad luck. 1-hour drive from Tokushima City.