Fujii-dera, Buddhist temple in Kamojima-cho, Yoshinogawa, Japan
Fujii-dera is a Buddhist temple in Yoshinogawa, Japan, and serves as the eleventh station on the Shikoku Pilgrimage route. The grounds contain several ceremonial halls built in the traditional style typical of sacred sites along this route.
The temple was founded in 815 by the Buddhist master Kobo Daishi, who carved a statue of Yakushi Nyorai at the site. That sculpture was later recognized as a National Treasure of Japan.
Fujii-dera belongs to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, which sets it apart from most other stops along the Shikoku Pilgrimage. This gives the place a particular character that visitors familiar with the route will notice right away.
The temple is within walking distance of Kamojima Station on the JR Tokushima Line, making it easy to reach without a car. Comfortable shoes are a good idea, as the grounds have several paths to walk between the halls.
Behind the main halls stands a small-scale version of the entire Shikoku Pilgrimage, made up of 88 statues each representing one temple on the route. Walking past all of them here is considered a way to complete the pilgrimage without traveling across the island.
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