甲子大黒天本山, Buddhist temple in Yonezawa, Japan.
The temple sits on a hillside above Onogawa Hot Springs and displays traditional Japanese architecture with distinctive red pillars throughout. The buildings are arranged to create a calm vertical composition that works with the natural slope of the land.
The temple was founded during the Daido period when Kobo Daishi received a divine message to carve Kinoe-ne Daikokuten. This founding connected the place to Mount Yudono, which became established as a sacred site.
The temple blends mountain asceticism traditions with spiritual practices that were important to the Uesugi family's faith. Visitors can sense this connection in the daily rituals and how people come to seek blessings and guidance.
Visitors can take part in activities such as making prayer beads from natural stones and collecting special calligraphy stamps between 9:00 and 17:00. The steep hillside location means sturdy footwear is recommended and visits are best planned during warmer months.
Each year the temple designs new calligraphy stamps, including a special dragon protection stamp that takes two years to complete. This detail shows how the sanctuary combines tradition with ongoing artistic creation.
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