Ryōzen-ji, Buddhist temple and pilgrimage site in Naruto, Japan
Ryōzen-ji is a Buddhist temple in the city of Naruto, in Tokushima Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. The grounds include wooden buildings with tiled roofs, a koi pond, a pagoda dating from the 1600s, and a main hall whose ceiling carries a painted dragon.
The temple was founded in the 8th century during the Tenpyō era by the monk Gyōki, acting on the orders of Emperor Shōmu. In the early 9th century, the monk Kūkai is said to have chosen it as the first of 88 stops on the Shikoku pilgrimage route.
In the Daishi Hall, pilgrims pray before a statue of the monk Kūkai and leave offerings. Many stop at the temple shop to pick up a walking staff or a charm before setting off along the route.
The temple is about a 10-minute walk from the nearest train station and is open daily from early morning to late afternoon. The grounds are free to enter, and pilgrimage supplies can be bought at the temple shop on site.
The name Ryōzen-ji means 'Temple of the Sacred Peak,' linking the local Mount Oasa to Vulture Peak in India, where the Buddha taught. Pilgrims who complete the full route often return here to give thanks, a practice known as orei mairi.
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