Kikō-ji, Buddhist temple in Minamiuonuma, Japan.
Kikō-ji sits at the base of Mount Suiryū with traditional wooden buildings, stone gardens, and meditation halls arranged across the grounds. The temple complex displays typical Sōtō Zen architecture through its structures and landscaping that serve the daily practices of those who come there.
Founded in 1596 as a Sōtō Zen temple, it suffered two major fires during the Edo period that reshaped its structures. The recovery from these events led to renaming the mountain and rebuilding the complex in new ways.
The rotating scripture shelf remains a living part of daily practice, with visitors and monks alike turning it as an act of devotion. This mechanism connects spiritual teaching to physical action in a way that feels integrated into the temple's rhythm.
Visitors can reach the temple by bus from Muika-machi Station, with the journey taking around 20 minutes. Driving via the Kan'etsu Expressway offers another option for those preferring flexibility in their visit timing.
A handmade rotating shelf built in 1798 holds over 1,000 scriptures that anyone can turn for spiritual benefit. This remarkable mechanism blends carpentry skill with devotional practice in a way that surprises many who encounter it.
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