金剛寺, Buddhist temple in Gamagori, Japan
Kongoji Temple (金剛寺) is a Buddhist temple at the top of Mount Hobo in Gamagori, Japan, overlooking Mikawa Bay. A roughly 30-meter-tall Koyasu Kobo Daishi statue stands at the center of the grounds and can be seen from a distance.
The temple is said to have been founded between 806 and 810 by Kukai, the Buddhist monk also known as Kobo Daishi. That early founding shaped the site's role as a place of religious practice, a role it has kept ever since.
The temple is known as a place where people come to pray for safe childbirth and fertility, focusing their devotion on the Koyasu Kobo Daishi statue. Visitors often spend a quiet moment in front of the statue before walking the rest of the grounds.
The temple sits on a hilltop, so sturdy footwear is a good idea before starting the climb. You can reach it by taxi from JR Mikawa-Mitani Station or take a bus to Minamiyamaguchi stop and walk the rest of the way up.
The temple grounds include a spot called Lovers Hill, where couples attach heart-shaped plates to the fences and write their wishes on them. This habit is quite different from the religious purpose of the rest of the site and draws a younger crowd.
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