Senkō Temple, Buddhist temple in Onomichi, Japan.
Senkō-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple on the slope of Mount Senkōji within Senkōji Park in Onomichi. A red-painted timber gate with a green-gray tiled roof stands at the left, its posts framing a hanging bell. Above it, the main hall rests on a stone base with red pillars, a dark tiled hip-and-gable roof and a red railing along its front. A wide flight of stone stairs climbs to it between concrete walls, with a vertical red banner bearing white Japanese characters beside the steps and a stone lantern at the lower left.
The temple was founded in 806 during the first year of the Daidō era and has served as the tenth station of the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage ever since. Over the centuries the site has remained a destination for pilgrims honoring the goddess of mercy.
The Path of Literature runs from Senkō-ji Park down to the temple and is lined with monuments to about 25 authors connected to Onomichi, among them Shiga Naoya and Fumiko Hayashi. The Onomichi Literature Museum stands halfway up the slope and can be visited along the climbing route. At the temple stairs, footprints of writers are displayed.
The climb to the temple is possible via the Senkōji Ropeway or stone steps winding through forested slopes. Wear comfortable shoes for the stairs and allow time to enjoy the viewpoints along the route.
The temple grounds hold several named rocks. Tamano-iwa is the subject of a legend about a stone that once glowed, and Koto-iwa, also called Pompon-iwa, appeared as the large rock in the opening sequence of the NHK television drama Teppan. The hillside also bears the name Senkōji-yama, one of the three mountains of Onomichi alongside Atago-yama and Ruri-yama.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,139 contributors worldwide.
