Taisanji Henro 52

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Taisanji 太山寺 Taisan-Ji

. 四国お遍路さん Henro Pilgrims in Shikoku . - General Information -

. Shikoku Henro Temple List .

. 泰山寺 Taisan-Ji Nr. 56 .

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Nr. 52 - 龍雲山 Ryu-Unzan　護持院 Goji-In　太山寺 Taisan-Ji
愛媛県松山市太山寺町1730 / 1730 Taisanjichō, Matsuyama-shi, Ehime

Main Statue : Kannon with 11 heads 十一面観音 Juichimen Kannon



- quote
The temple was built by Mano Kogorō　真野の長者　(Mano no Choja), a wealthy merchant from Bungo, 豊後国臼杵, Kyūshū, about 585. He built it to honor Jūichimen Kannon for saving him from shipwreck on a voyage to Osaka in the 6th century. When he washed ashore after the wreck, he saw a bright light on the mountain's peak and followed it. When he arrived, he found the statue of Jūichimen Kannon and founded the temple on the same spot. The temple holds a festival every year on March 17th in memory of Mano.

The hondō is considered a National Treasure and is constructed without the use of a single cleat of nail. Legend states that it was built in a single night. This temple has had the patronage of emperors since the time of Emperor Shōmu ）聖武天皇 (r. 725-749)

In the compound is the Hyakudo Ishi (One hundred times stone).
It is a large boulder with a hundred pieces of bamboo in a ring on its top. You take a piece of bamboo, walk with it to the hondō, and then return to the stone, praying continuously as you walk back and forth. After one hundred repetitions, the prayer is sure to be granted. This practice isn't limited to this temple, however. At numerous temples you will see henro pacing back and forth between the hondō and the daishidō while earnestly praying. At this temple they simply have the bamboo to help them keep track of their counting.

Whereas many temples have special fertility rites for those that want to become pregnant, henro come to this temple, pray, and leave needles if they don't want to have any more children. And, from this tradition, another interesting tradition has sprung up. Women who do want more children can now come to this temple and pick up those same needles that have been left and this, conversely, will help them have the children they want. And, to take the tradition one step further, some people believe that for those desiring to have a child, wearing underwear sewn with these needles will be particularly effective.

Frederick Starr says that there are 6 Kannon statues here which were given to the temple as gifts by six emperors. He also notes that each has been classified as a National Treasure.
- source : www.shikokuhenrotrail.com


- Chant of the temple
太山に 登れや汗の 出でけれど
後の世思えば 何の苦もなし


. Gyoki Bosatsu 行基菩薩 (668 - 749) Saint Gyōki .

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Kobo Daishi




huge boulder in the temple garden


. Bussokuseki 仏足石 Buddha's Footprints .

. - Photo Album from my visit - .


. Fudō Myō-ō, Fudoo Myoo-Oo 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O
Acala Vidyârâja - Vidyaraja – Fudo Myoo .


. . Pilgrimages to Fudo Temples 不動明王巡礼
Fudo Myo-O Junrei - Introduction - .

The Five Great Wisdom Kings, Godai Myo-O - 五大明王
. The Five Great Elements of the Universe - 地水火風空の五大 .

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- Two short Haiku Henro Trips, Summer 2005


. 四国お遍路さん Pilgrims in Shikoku . - General Information

Koya San in Wakayama

Kobo Daishi Kukai 弘法大師　空海
(Kooboo Daishi, Kuukai )

Haiku and Henro:
.... . The Haiku Henro Pilgrimage  

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. Japan - Shrines and Temples - ABC .


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