Скачать или смотреть Shikoku Pilgrimage | Temple 5 | Jizō-ji | The 500 Rakan and Living Heritage

Welcome back to the Shikoku Pilgrimage. This episode takes us to Temple 5 – Jizō-ji (地蔵寺), a site where devotion, artistry, and preservation meet. The temple grounds are well organized, with the Main Hall and Daishi Hall brightly decorated, reflecting both tradition and renewal. The gate here is a rare Nitenmon, guarded by Tamonten and Jikokuten in a non-traditional form, a unique feature among the 88 temples.

Beyond the main precincts lies the Okunoin, home to the Five Hundred Rakan Hall. Originally housing 500 vividly painted statues, about 200 remain today, yet the hall continues to impress with its scale and atmosphere. Figures such as Ragora Sonja, opening his belly to reveal his Buddha-nature, and Sobinda Sonja, holding a gorintō, embody faith through striking symbolism. Passing through the corridors, visitors encounter enshrined images of Shaka Nyorai and Miroku Nyorai, with the Rakan as witnesses to Shaka’s nirvana and guardians until Miroku descends. At the end of the passage stands a solemn statue of Kōbō Daishi, marking the temple’s spiritual heart.

Jizō-ji (地蔵寺) preserves both its tangible heritage and its living devotion, offering pilgrims a place where history and faith remain intertwined on the Shikoku Pilgrimage.