Hotsumisaki-ji, Buddhist temple at Muroto Cape, Japan

Hotsumisaki-ji is a Shingon temple on a hill above Muroto Cape, reached by a path from the cape or a 200-metre approach from the Muroto Skyline parking area. Its two-storey gate holds two pairs of guardian figures: stone Nio carved in 1647 inside, and bronze Nio moved from Tosa Shrine in the early Meiji era outside. The main hall, rebuilt in 1924, stands beyond a sumo ring and the Daishido.

The temple was founded in 807 by the monk Kukai and later moved to its current clifftop location between 1044 and 1055. This relocation shaped its lasting role as a pilgrimage destination.

As the 24th temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, Hotsumisaki-ji marks the first stop in Kochi Prefecture and the start of the route's "austerity and discipline" stage. Pilgrims receive their temple seal and calligraphy at the nōkyōjo near the main hall. The temple's goeika verse praises the "eastern temple where the morning star rises," a reference to its position at Cape Muroto, where the sun first appears.

The grounds are open daily and offer parking spaces for regular vehicles and smaller cars. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear, as the path to the temple is steep with ocean views along the way.

The temple grounds feature a special stone called Kane-ishi that produces metallic sounds when struck with smaller rocks. This natural acoustic property is something visitors can experience directly.