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Location: Nankoku, Kochi
Current status: Open now
Goshuin: Goshuin
Zenjibuji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Nankoku, Kōchi, and the 32nd temple of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. Perched atop Mt. Mineyama overlooking the Pacific, it enshrines the Funadama Kannon, venerated by fishermen for safe sea voyages since the Edo...
Why you should go
- Fishermen call the temple's Kannon statue 'Funadama Kannon' (Ship Spirit Kannon). During the Edo period, feudal lords would stop here to pray before sailing to Tokyo for their mandatory attendance at the shogun's court.
- Since the Edo period, Zenjibu-ji has been known as a prayer site for maritime safety, especially among fishermen.
- The temple's Kongorikishi guardian statues at the gate were created by the Buddhist priest Jomei during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and are now designated National Important Cultural Properties.
