The History of Gokurakuji Temple
Origins and the Connection with Kobo Daishi
According to temple tradition, Gokurakuji was founded during the Nara period and established by the Buddhist priest Gyoki. In 815, Kobo Daishi, also known as Kukai, is said to have practiced Buddhist rituals here for 21 days while reciting the Amida Sutra. On the final day of his practice, he experienced a vision of Amida Nyorai. Inspired by this experience, he carved an image of the Buddha, which became the temple’s principal deity.
The Legend Behind the Name Nisshōzan
The temple’s mountain name, Nisshōzan, is associated with a local legend. The radiant light from Amida Nyorai’s halo was said to reach as far as Naruto, making it difficult for local fishermen to catch fish. To solve the problem, the fishermen supposedly built a hill in front of the main hall to block the light and allow them to return to their work. This story is traditionally linked to the name Nisshōzan.
A Temple for Safe Childbirth
Gokurakuji is also widely revered as a place to pray for fertility and safe childbirth. According to tradition, while Kobo Daishi was reciting the Amida Sutra, a woman from Naniwa, the historic name for the Osaka area, was experiencing a difficult labor. Through his prayers and blessings, she safely delivered her child. In gratitude, she donated a wooden statue of Kobo Daishi, which became the principal image of the Daishi Hall.
Another story tells of a woman from Sumiyoshi in Osaka who prayed at the temple during the Meiji period and subsequently gave birth to a healthy boy. She offered a statue of Kobo Daishi in his ascetic form as an expression of gratitude. This statue now stands in front of the Daishi Hall.
These traditions have helped establish Gokurakuji’s reputation as a temple for prayers for pregnancy and safe delivery. Visitors can offer prayers and obtain protective amulets associated with these wishes.
Destruction and Reconstruction
In 1582, during the Sengoku period, Gokurakuji was destroyed by fire in the military campaigns of Chosokabe Motochika. The temple was rebuilt in 1659 under the patronage of Hachisuka Mitsutaka, the lord of the Tokushima domain. The present main hall and Daishi Hall date from this reconstruction period.
Highlights of the Temple Grounds
The Sanmon Gate and Nio Guardians
The imposing Sanmon, or main gate, is one of the first features visitors encounter upon entering the grounds. Built in the traditional irimoya style, with a hipped-and-gabled roof and an upper-story structure, the gate houses fierce-looking Nio guardian statues on either side. These protective figures welcome visitors into the sacred precincts and reflect the solemn character of the temple.
The Main Hall
The main hall was rebuilt in 1659. The temple’s principal image, a seated wooden statue of Amida Nyorai, is a treasured Buddhist sculpture from the Kamakura period and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. It is kept as a hidden Buddha in a storage chamber constructed into the slope behind the main hall, while an accompanying image is enshrined inside the hall.
Additional Buddhist statues are arranged within the hall, including a seated Amida Nyorai on the right side and Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of healing, on the left. The hall also displays a painting depicting the Buddhist realms of hell and the Pure Land, known as the Jigoku Gokuraku-zu. It offers visitors a visual introduction to Buddhist teachings about suffering, salvation, and the path toward enlightenment.
The Daishi Hall
Also reconstructed in 1659, the Daishi Hall is closely associated with prayers for safe childbirth and is affectionately known as the hall of Anzan Daishi, or Kobo Daishi for safe delivery. Many visitors come here to pray for the health and safety of mothers and babies. The quiet interior provides a peaceful setting for reflection and devotion.
The Kannon Hall
The Kannon Hall dates from the middle of the Edo period and enshrines a statue of Senju Kannon, the Thousand-Armed Kannon, a bodhisattva associated with compassion and salvation. As Gokurakuji is also a stop on the Awa Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, the hall attracts visitors who follow this regional pilgrimage tradition.
The Yakushi Hall
The Yakushi Hall was built in the late Edo period and enshrines a standing statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of medicine and healing. As a stop on the Awa Hokurei Yakushi Pilgrimage, it is a place where visitors pray for recovery from illness, good health, and well-being.
Distinctive Sacred Sites and Objects
The Omokaru-san Wishing Jizo
One of the temple’s unusual attractions is a statue known as the Omokaru-san Jizo, or “wish-granting Jizo.” According to local belief, the statue feels lighter when a person’s wish is destined to come true. Visitors approach it with their own hopes and prayers, making this small statue a memorable part of the temple experience.
The Thousand Mizuko Jizo Statues
A group of approximately one thousand Mizuko Jizo statues stands on the grounds as a place for memorial prayers for unborn or deceased children. Tradition holds that the main hall once stood in this area before the early Edo period. Today, the statues remain a place of quiet remembrance for families and others who come to pray.
The Long-Life Cedar
One of the most striking natural features of Gokurakuji is its ancient cedar, known as the Chōmei-sugi, or Long-Life Cedar. The tree is estimated to be around 1,200 years old and is traditionally said to have been planted by Kobo Daishi himself. Designated a Natural Monument by Naruto City in 1967, it measures approximately 4.65 meters in trunk circumference and 15 meters in height.
Standing within the temple grounds, this venerable tree symbolizes longevity and the enduring spiritual traditions of Gokurakuji. Its age and imposing presence make it one of the temple’s most memorable sights.
Shofuku Benzaiten
A small shrine dedicated to Shofuku Benzaiten can also be found on the grounds. Benzaiten is a deity associated with good fortune, wealth, music, and the arts. Visitors pray here for financial prosperity, creative success, and good luck.
Unkai no Jōdo: The Pure Land Above a Sea of Clouds
At the center of the temple grounds is a peaceful Japanese garden known as Unkai no Jōdo, meaning “The Pure Land Above a Sea of Clouds.” Its carefully arranged scenery evokes the serenity of the Buddhist Pure Land, creating a place where visitors can pause, contemplate, and enjoy a moment of calm amid their travels.
Stone Buddhist Statues and Cultural Features
Stone Images of Amida Nyorai
Stone statues modeled after the temple’s principal Amida Nyorai are scattered throughout the grounds. Visitors can walk among them as a form of quiet reflection. Other sacred features include images of Shakyamuni Buddha, a Buddha footprint stone, a statue of Kobo Daishi associated with prayers for pregnancy, and a Jizo statue used for making wishes.
The Bell Tower
The temple’s bell tower provides a traditional setting for the ringing of the Buddhist temple bell. The deep sound carries across the grounds, adding to the atmosphere of contemplation and offering visitors a moment to reflect on the spiritual character of the site.
Haiku Monuments
Several stone monuments inscribed with haiku poems stand around the temple. One particularly well-known verse by Taki Yoshitsue reads, “Mida no teni sugari te tachishi chō no hiru,” evoking a butterfly departing at midday while relying on the hands of Amida Buddha. The monument stands to the right after passing through the Nio Gate, adding a literary dimension to the temple’s religious and cultural heritage.
The Stone Pillar Gate
A stone pillar gate stands outside the main temple grounds along the pilgrimage route. It was donated in 1922 by a Buddhist pilgrimage group from Osaka. Passing through this gate offers a traditional approach to the temple and a sense of the long history of pilgrimage in the region.
Pilgrim Services and Temple Lodging
Receiving Pilgrimage Stamps
Gokurakuji has facilities for pilgrims to receive their nōkyō, the calligraphy and seal that document a visit to a temple on the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage. The temple previously operated two reception counters: one near the parking area, with a shop mainly serving individual visitors, and another near the main residence for group pilgrims.
Following a decline in visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic, the parking-area counter and shop were reported to have closed. Individual pilgrims can receive their stamps at the counter near the main residence. Visitors should confirm current arrangements before traveling.
Temple Lodging
Gokurakuji also has temple lodging, known as shukubō, with a reported capacity of up to 150 guests. Advance reservations are required. Staying overnight offers pilgrims an opportunity to rest, enjoy a quieter atmosphere, and prepare for the next stage of their journey. For those walking the Shikoku pilgrimage, Gokurakuji is an important stop along the route.
Cultural Properties
Important Cultural Property of Japan
The temple’s principal image, a seated wooden statue of Amida Nyorai, is a hidden Buddhist image dating from the Kamakura period. Measuring approximately 84 centimeters in height, the statue retains an aged appearance with a lacquered and gilded finish. It was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1911.
Tokushima Prefecture Designated Cultural Property
Gokurakuji also preserves a silk painting depicting the two mandalas of esoteric Buddhism, known as the Ryōkai Mandara-zu. Measuring approximately 157 centimeters high and 107 centimeters wide, this work was designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Tokushima Prefecture in 1973.
Naruto City Natural Monument
The Long-Life Cedar is designated a Natural Monument by Naruto City. With a trunk circumference of approximately 4.65 meters and a height of 15 meters, the tree was officially designated in 1967 and remains a central symbol of the temple grounds.
Access to Gokurakuji Temple
By Train
The temple can be reached on foot from either Awa-Kawabata Station, approximately 1.1 kilometers away, or Bando Station, approximately 1.5 kilometers away, on the JR Shikoku Kōtoku Line.
By Bus
Take a Tokushima Bus service on the Naruto–Ōasa route and get off at the Niban Fudasho-mae bus stop, which is approximately 100 meters from the temple.
By Car
Tokushima Prefectural Route 12, the Naruto–Ikeda Line, passes directly in front of the temple. By expressway, Gokurakuji is approximately 2.3 kilometers from Itano Interchange on the Takamatsu Expressway or 5.1 kilometers from Aizumi Interchange on the Tokushima Expressway.
Nearby Pilgrimage Temples
Gokurakuji is conveniently located between two other temples on the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage. Ryōzenji, the first temple on the route, is approximately 1.4 kilometers away, while Konsenji, the third temple, is approximately 2.6 kilometers away. These short distances make the area particularly suitable for pilgrims who wish to visit several temples in one outing.
Experience the Spiritual Heritage of Shikoku
Gokurakuji Temple is more than the second stop on the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage. Its centuries-old traditions, Buddhist halls, historic sculptures, peaceful garden, and ancient cedar reveal the deep relationship between faith, nature, and local culture in Tokushima.
Whether you are walking the pilgrimage route, exploring Japan’s Buddhist heritage, or simply seeking a tranquil place away from the bustle of everyday life, Gokurakuji offers a meaningful experience. Take time to admire the temple buildings, walk among the sacred statues, and appreciate the quiet presence of the Long-Life Cedar as you discover one of Tokushima’s enduring spiritual landmarks.