NIPPON Kichi - 日本吉

2007/10/17

赤人寺 Shakunin-ji Shakuninji Temple

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Shakuninji Temple located in Higashiomi City in Shiga Prefecture is a historic temple of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. The principal object of worship is Nyoirin Kannon. It is the 19th Holy Place of Gamo Kannon Pilgrimage. This temple and adjacent Yamabe Shrine are pertaining to Yamanobe no Akahito, a poet of the Manyoshu, who is noted as one of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals. It is said that Shakuninji Temple is where Akahito spent his last days.

The biography of Yamanobe no Akahito is unknown, but it is said that he spent most of his life traveling all around present Kansai district. The temple is said to have been founded by Yamanobe no Akahito himself to enshrine Nyoirin Kannon that he brought from Tagonoura.

In the precinct stands a cherry tree named Akahito Cherry, or also called “Kanmurikake-no-sakura (Cap Hanger Cherry).” Legend has it that when Akahito hung his cap on a branch of this cherry tree, it was never removed; thereby he decided to live at this place. The seven-story stone pagoda constructed in the Kamakura period (1192-1333) is nationally designated as an Important Cultural Property.

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address
212 Shimo-Aso-cho, Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture 529-1524
name
Shakuninji Temple




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