The 11-faced Kannon statue was carved by surviving retainers of the defeated Kono clan in 1600 to honor their fallen warriors. The Kono once controlled all shipping on the Inland Sea.

The daishi-do hall bristles with elaborate tile dragons and a rare winged beast over the porch. Legend says the dragon's eyes glow when it spots someone with bad intentions.

The temple houses the oldest surviving copper name slip on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, discovered in 1924 by an American professor. It's the first documented use of the word 'henro' (pilgrim).

円明寺は戦国時代の兵火で焼失後、17世紀初頭に再建されました。