Iwaya-ji means, Rock Cave Temple and is hard place to get to. Ancient folklore tells us that a mysterious shaman priestess led Kukai here This lady-he
Iwaya-ji means, Rock Cave Temple and is hard place to get to. Ancient folklore tells us that a mysterious shaman priestess led Kukai here This lady-hermit was named Hokke-Sennin. The home of the priest is built against a cliff that rises straight up into the sky. Kukai made two statues of Fudou, one of them from stone, and placed this stone Fudou inside the cave. By placing the Fudou inside the cave the entire mountain becomes a sacred place. This is truly a spectacular place to visit and explore. The path on the way up is lined with moss covered statues and trees. Iwayaji is the place where Kobo Daishi trained himself. Iwaya-ji is temple number 45 on the Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage Trail which is traditionally completed on foot taking up some 40 days to complete as the full course is approximately 1200 km.
Size: 6240px × 4160px
Location: Koma Kogen, Ehime Prefecture, JAPAN
Photo credit: © John Lander / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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