Zentsuji

photo by 663highland · CC BY 2.5

photo by Dokudami · CC BY-SA 4.0

Kūkai was born here in 774. The current pagoda, the fourth, has stood 43 metres tall since 1902.

Crossing the road that splits the complex in two, you pass from the eastern temple, with the 43-metre five-storey pagoda, to the western one, on Kūkai's birthplace. In the pagoda the central pillar hangs from the top floor – ‘suspended construction’, used in only three buildings in Japan – invisible to anyone looking from the ground.

Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi), founder of Shingon Buddhism, was born here in 774: his father, the local notable Saeki Tagimi, donated the land for both the eastern temple, with the pagoda, and the western one, on Kūkai's birthplace. The current pagoda is the fourth version, from 1902. Founded in 807, it is temple number 75 of the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage. The complex houses a treasure museum and offers pilgrims lodging in 70 rooms with 200 places in total.

ℹ️ Free entry to the temple grounds; the main hall (金堂) can be visited 7:00–17:00. Treasure museum and underground initiation passage 8:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30), ticket 700 yen adults, 300 yen students. Car park 300 yen. The inside of the pagoda opens only on special occasions, typically during Golden Week.

🚉 Zentsuji · 19 min walk

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · zentsuji.com · zentsuji.com

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