Kogawadera Temple

Overview

Kogawadera Temple is a Mahayana Buddhist temple of the Onjoji school located in Kino-kawa City, Wakayama Prefecture. It's the third temple on the Saigoku Sanjusanso Kannon pilgrimage route. Tradition holds that it was founded in 820 by Jikaku Daishi Ennin, a disciple of Kukai (Kobo Daishi). Kogawadera Temple is revered as a temple for warding off evil (Yakuyoke Kannon), and has long been visited by many people for pilgrimage. The temple's principal image, the Senju Kannon (Thousand-Armed Kannon), is believed to grant blessings of protection from misfortune, longevity, and healing from illness. The highlight of Kogawadera Temple is undoubtedly its main hall. It's one of the largest halls among the temples of the Saigoku Sanjusanso pilgrimage and is designated as an Important Cultural Property. On the slope in front of the main hall lies a garden designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty, featuring a beautiful arrangement of various types of stones. This garden is said to have been created by Soka Ueda, a chief retainer of the Asano family, and vividly reflects the luxurious style of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. In addition to the main hall, Kogawadera Temple has many other buildings, including the Senju-do hall, Gyoja-do hall, Kogawa Sannushi Shrine, Joro-do hall, Jizo-do hall, Rokkaku-do hall, bell tower, Yakushi-do hall, Juzenritsuin, middle gate, offering place, storehouse, Taishi-do hall, Nembutsudo (Komyo-den) hall, Domando hall, kuri (kitchen), Oikebo garden, Shukkechi pond, Domando Daishi statue, Sankakudo hall, Rakan-do hall, Kodaike Jizo-do hall, Fudo-do hall, Enkaiin, Shutoken, main gate, Jizo-do hall, Zenkoji-do hall, and more. Kogawadera Temple is an ancient temple where you can feel the weight of history and culture. If you visit Wakayama Prefecture, be sure to stop by.