Day 21: Bekkaku No.8 Toyo-ga-hashi Eitoku-ji (十夜ヶ橋 永徳寺)

The main temple of Bekkaku No.8 Toyo-ga-hashi Eitoku-ji

Miroku-Bosatsu (Bodhisattva) is dedicated

When I was planning today’s route yesterday, I didn’t notice that there was a bekkaku sacred temple along the way. While I was walking towards Uchiko town, I eventually noticed this Eiraku-ji along the pilgrimage route.

Taishi-do

Nade-Taishi – By stroking your pain points on this statue, it will cure

In fact, there’s interesting story around this temple. It’s about one of the practices of Shikoku henro pilgrims, that pilgrims should refrain from using the Kongo-zue (pilgrim’s stick) on the bridge.

When Kobo-Daishi passed through the area, he looked for a place to stay for one night, but there was no lodging in the uncivilized area. He camped under a bridge, but it was so cold that he felt one night was more than ten. Therefore, as a warning to the pilgrims, it became practice not to use the pilgrim’s stick on the bridge to prevent Kobo-Daishi from resting under the bridge because of the sound of the stick.

Dedicated toMiroku-Bosatsu (弥勒菩薩)
Founded byKobo-Daishi (弘法大師)
DenominationShingon-sect Omuro-group (真言宗御室派)
Mantraおん まいたれいや そわか
On Maitareiya Sowaka
Next templeNo.44 Daiho-ji
Previous templeNo.43 Meiseki-ji
Bekkaku No.8 Toyo-ga-hashi Eiraku-ji