Shikoku Pilgrimage No. 4&5 Temples

Visiting No. 4 and 5 temples on foot

By Yoshifumi Hara

Community writer

There is a garden around the main gate of the fourth temple

The pilgrimage path goes through a quiet residential area

We can enjoy many kinds of flowers throughout the year in this garden

Buddhist statues stand along the corridor

The annex, Okuno-in, is just behind the fifth temple

Many Buddhist statues are also in the annex

A few Buddhist statues stand among the "Rakan"

I left the third temple and walked through a quiet residential area, following tiny signs to "Henro-michi". The path turned into a mountain area in front of Aizen-in Temple, which is not included as one of the 88 temples, but is still a Kobo-Daishi related temple. It’s a gentle-climb-hill path whereas the mountain path to the twelfth temple is steep. The fourth temple (Dainichi-ji Temple) is over there beyond the hill (5 km away from the third temple). I took a rest at the temple and resumed walking along a broad down-hill road. The fifth temple (Jizou-ji Temple) is 2km away from the fourth temple.

Jizou-ji Temple has an annex (Okuno-in) next to the temple.You can see "Gohyaku-rakan" (500 statues of Buddha's disciple) here. Although only about 200 statues remain, you may find some friends among them.