Kanjizai-ji

Kanjizai-ji is a temple of the Shingon Daikakuji school in Ainan, Ehime Prefecture. Its main image is Yakushi Nyorai, and it is the 40th of the 88 temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Because it lies farthest from temple No. 1, it has long been called the "back checkpoint" of the Shikoku pilgrimage.

Temple tradition says it was founded in 807 by Kukai at the request of Emperor Heizei, who carved three statues from a single sacred tree: Yakushi, Amida and the Eleven-headed Kannon. In 1638 Prince Kusho visited and granted the title Yakushi-in, and the temple became a prayer site of the Date lords of Uwajima. A great fire once destroyed the old complex; it was rebuilt in 1678, and the main hall burned again in 1959 and was rebuilt in 1964.

Highlights include the main gate (also called the Nio gate) built entirely of zelkova, a Tangible Cultural Property designated by Ainan town and rebuilt in 1911 after a fire the year before, the Daishi Hall whose statue is displayed every June 15, the octagonal Hoshuden hall, a treasure exhibition room with seven relief carvings of the Seven Gods of Fortune, and statues of the twelve zodiac guardian deities. There is also a Basho haiku monument erected in 1844. The main image is a hidden Buddha shown only once every 50 years, next in 2034. The pilgrim path leading here is a national historic site. Allow 30 to 60 minutes; the previous temple is No. 39 Enko-ji and the next is No. 41 Ryuko-ji.