Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin Hongyō-in, Buddhist temple in Kawagoe, Japan
Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin Hongyō-in is a Buddhist temple built in traditional Japanese style, featuring a main hall, a Kaisando hall for memorial services, and a pond filled with turtles. Several floors within the complex contain statues, plaques, and artwork arranged for devotional and commemorative purposes.
The temple was established in 1853 when Chief Priest Ishikawa Sho'on founded it as a branch temple connected to Naritasan Shinshoji. This founding linked the site to a larger religious organization with deeper historical roots.
The temple houses steps filled with sand from all eighty-eight temples along the Shikoku pilgrimage route, allowing visitors to symbolically experience this sacred journey without traveling the entire path.
The temple is open throughout the day, giving visitors time to walk through the buildings and grounds at a leisurely pace. A monthly market event brings vendors with antiques and local items to the grounds on a regular date.
The third floor contains roughly 2,500 statues and gold or silver plaques dedicated to Fudo, a significant Buddha in Shingon Buddhism. This expansive collection reflects the deep devotion many followers have shown toward this deity across generations.
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