Joraku-ji Temple (Tokushima)

Joraku-ji, in the hills of Kokufu-cho, Tokushima, is Temple 14 of the Shikoku 88 Temple pilgrimage. Its mountain name is Seijuzan and its subtemple name is Enmei-in, and it belongs to the Koyasan Shingon sect. The grounds sit on an unusual landform where natural bedrock is exposed at the surface, and the main hall and the Daishi hall stand on the rock.

According to temple tradition, in the 6th year of Konin (815) Kobo Daishi Kukai, while training here, sensed the figure of the bodhisattva Maitreya, carved it into a sacred tree and made it the principal image. Joraku-ji is the only one of the Shikoku 88 temples whose principal image is Maitreya. In the Muromachi period it flourished as a prayer temple of the Awa Hosokawa clan, but it was burned down in the Tensho era by the troops of Chosokabe Motochika. In 1659 the lord of Tokushima, Hachisuka Mitsutaka, rebuilt it in a valley below the present site, and in 1818 (Bunka 15) it was moved to its present site so that a reservoir could be built.

The main attraction is the "Ryusuigan Garden." The bedrock throughout the grounds is Awa blue stone, and the garden known as "Ryusuigan no Niwa" arranges garden stones like waves. The main hall and the Daishi hall stand on this bedrock. The Seven Lucky Gods garden is another highlight. In front of the main hall stands the "Araragi Daishi," a statue of Kobo Daishi enshrined at a giant sacred yew (araragi) tree. A tea made from the leaves is said to be effective against diabetes, and the site has long been revered for benefits such as healing it.

As for cultural properties, the main hall and the Daishi hall are nationally registered tangible cultural properties (registered in 2011), and in 2021 the grounds received an additional designation as part of the national historic site "Awa Henro Michi." Paintings designated by Tokushima City are also preserved. The inner sanctuary Jigen-ji stands within the temple's land and enshrines an Eleven-Headed Kannon.

Some spots on the bedrock are hard to walk on, so watch your step. Allow about 30 minutes for a circuit of the grounds. Free parking is available, so the temple suits both walking pilgrims and visitors by car. On the pilgrimage, the previous temple is No. 13, Dainichi-ji, and the next is No. 15, Kokubun-ji. Nearby are Mt. Bizan, Tokushima Zoo and the Awa Odori Kaikan, which can be combined with sightseeing in Tokushima city.