Dainichi-ji, Buddhist temple in Itano, Japan
Dainichi-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in the rural town of Itano, on the island of Shikoku, and it serves as station four on the eighty-eight temple pilgrimage route. The grounds hold a main hall, a pagoda, and several smaller buildings set around a courtyard.
The temple is said to have been founded in the early 800s by Kobo Daishi, the monk credited with establishing the Shikoku pilgrimage route as a whole. He is also said to have carved the main statue himself, which remains at the heart of the site today.
The temple is named after Dainichi Nyorai, the central Buddha of the Shingon tradition, and this connection shapes everything from its rituals to its decor. Pilgrims stop here to pray at the main statue and collect a stamp in their pilgrim booklet, a small paper record of the entire journey.
The temple sits in a rural area, so arriving by car or bicycle is the most straightforward option for most visitors. Wear comfortable shoes, as the ground across the temple grounds can be uneven in places.
Although this is only the fourth of eighty-eight stations, many pilgrims later describe it as the point where the route starts to feel genuinely remote, as the first three temples are all closer to the city of Tokushima. From here, the path moves into open countryside, and the rhythm of walking changes noticeably.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
