Yokomine-ji, Buddhist temple on Mount Ishizuchi, Japan.
Yokomine-ji is a Buddhist temple situated 750 meters (2,460 feet) up Mount Ishizuchi, with a main hall housing a statue of Dainichi Nyorai. The sanctuary sits nestled within dense forest, creating a quiet retreat in the mountain landscape.
The sanctuary was founded in 651 by En no Gyoja as a training place for spiritual practice. It later became the 60th station on the Shikoku 88 Temple pilgrimage route.
The temple is closely linked to mountain worship traditions and functions as a western pilgrimage site for spiritual practices dedicated to Mount Ishizuchi. Visitors can experience how religious life connects directly with the natural landscape here.
Access to the temple requires a 500-meter (1,640-foot) uphill walk from the parking area through the forest. The forest road closes from late December through February due to winter weather.
The grounds display red Ishihana flowers in early May that catch visitors by surprise among the forest. The site earned the name 'Henro Rolling' because of its previously challenging and risky approach for pilgrims.
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