Tōkō-ji, Buddhist temple in Nishinomiya, Japan
Tōkō-ji is a Buddhist temple in Nishinomiya featuring multiple buildings, including the Medicine Buddha Hall, Yakujin Hall, and Daikoku Hall, positioned at different elevations across its grounds. The temple makes thoughtful use of the sloped terrain, with structures arranged to create a natural flow that allows visitors to move through the site at a gentle pace.
The temple was founded in 829 when the Buddhist priest Kukai carved three statues of the Yakujin deity during Emperor Saga's reign. This establishment rooted the site as a center for worship of protective deities in the Nishinomiya region.
The temple hosts significant religious ceremonies throughout the year, with the Yakuyoke Festival on January 18-19 being the most important, drawing many visitors. These events shape the spiritual life of the surrounding community and reflect the local devotion to protective deities.
The grounds are reachable via a roughly 15-minute walk northwest from Mondoyakujin Station on the Hankyu Imazu Line. Visitors exploring the temple should be prepared for stairs and slopes, as the buildings sit at different elevations throughout the property.
The temple preserves a rare statue of the two-headed Aizen Myoo deity, combining Aizen Myoo and Fudo Myoo into a single form. This unusual depiction is found almost nowhere else in the world, drawing those interested in Buddhist art and symbolism.
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