Seiganto-ji, Buddhist temple in Nachikatsuura, Japan
Seiganto-ji is a Buddhist temple in Nachikatsuura situated near Nachi Falls, with multiple buildings and structures spread across the grounds. A three-story pagoda and mountain gates define the layout and connect the complex to the surrounding landscape.
The temple's buildings burned during the civil wars of the 16th century but were rebuilt in 1587 under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. This reconstruction shaped the layout that survives today.
This temple serves as the first station on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage circuit, welcoming pilgrims who come to pray and experience its spiritual significance. The 4-meter-high statue of Nyoirin Kannon in the main hall is what brings visitors here to pay their respects.
The site is accessible via Nachikatsuura town in Wakayama Prefecture and sits close to the famous waterfall. Visitors should prepare for hilly terrain and varying elevation changes as the complex uses the sloped topography.
Archaeological excavations in 1918 at the waterfall base uncovered a Sutra mound filled with numerous artifacts. These discoveries are now displayed in the Ryuhoden treasury hall and reveal the site's long history of worship.
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