Day 11: No.29 Kokubun-ji (国分寺)

Be careful about sign post, otherwise, you’ll be lost 🙂

New and old sign posts

Brothers ?

The Henro route now leave the coast side and I’m now walking through the countryside. That is also good. Compared to Tokushima, I feel that Kochi has fewer resting places for pilgrims to sit down casually.

When the Henro route goes into the town, I often lost the route because sometimes the route goes into the backside of the house like shown in the picture. If I don’t see the red sign post for 5-10 minutes, then I have to think that I’m lost 🙂

Lifestyle shop and dining COMO

I missed western-style meal 🙂

At guest house, I enjoyed Japanese-style dinner (especially with nice fishes) a lot, but I now missed western-style meal. I eventually found stylish café before arriving at No.29 Kokubun-ji, and had curry rice for lunch 🙂

The main gate of No.20 Kokubun-ji

The Nio-statue seems to laugh !?

The No.29 Kokubun-ji is one of 4 Kokubun-ji located in each Shikoku prefecture. This is the one in Tosa (Kochi prefecture), so it’s called Tosa Kokubun-ji.

The main gate of Kokubun-ji is quite impressive, in which I found this interesting Nio-statue. It usually has angry face, but it’s more like laughing and it also looks bit childish.

They ask for donation of tiles

The bell tower

Unlike the other place, pilgrims are not allowed to ring the bell at this temple.

The main temple of No.29 Kokubun-ji

Taishi-do

The main temple, although simple on the outside, is elegant and quiet, with a sense of history and a nice atmosphere with the weeping cherry trees next to it. One pilgrim kneel down and pray fervently.

The precincts of No.29 Kokubun-ji

The temple stamp of No.29 Kokubun-ji

Dedicated toSenjyu-Kanzeon-Bosatsu (千手観音菩薩)
Founded byGyoki-Bosatsu (行基菩薩)
DenominationShingon-sect Chisan-group (真言宗智山派)
Mantraおん ばざらたらま きりく
On Bazaratarama Kiriku
Next templeNo.30 Zenraku-ji (6.9 Km away)
Previous templeNo.28 Dainichi-ji (9.2 Km away)
No.29 Kokubun-ji