Tennei-ji, Buddhist temple in Onomichi, Japan.
Tennei-ji is a Buddhist temple on the slope of Mount Senkoji in Onomichi, designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The complex includes a three-story pagoda and several smaller structures set among trees on the hillside.
The temple was founded in 1367 during the Muromachi period, making it one of the older religious sites in the region. Its pagoda has survived several restorations over the centuries and is considered the most historically significant structure on the grounds.
The temple is part of a hillside temple walk that connects many religious sites across Onomichi, and locals use this path regularly as part of daily life. Visitors can observe monks going about their routines, and the smell of incense often drifts through the open courtyard.
The temple is reached on foot along the hillside temple trail, so sturdy shoes are a good idea before setting out. Going earlier in the morning gives more time to walk the grounds without crowds, and the light through the trees is better at that hour.
Scattered across the grounds are more than 500 small Buddhist figures, many of them half-hidden under moss or tucked behind tree roots. Slowing down and looking carefully at ground level is often the only way to notice them all.
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