The seventy-first temple is Iyadani-ji (弥谷寺), a mountain temple on a peak long revered as a sacred mountain of the dead, enshrining Senju Kannon.
It lies about 3.5 km from the seventy-second temple, at around 225 metres’ elevation.
The entrance to Iyadani-ji, high on the mountain, has a quite different atmosphere from the temples down among the houses.
From the very start you sense you are entering somewhere set apart.
The mountain path along the way creates a genuinely mysterious mood.
Wrapped in trees and quiet, it feels like a threshold between worlds.
Large Buddha images stand here, though the trees screen them so that you cannot see them straight on from the front.
Glimpsed through the branches, they seem all the more mysterious.
As you walk on, a beautiful temple suddenly peeks into view, deepening the serene atmosphere.
That first sight, after the climb, is quietly thrilling.
The path has been carved out of the living rock and leads further up the mountain.
Climbing between the stone walls, you feel the centuries of devotion that shaped this place.
At last, after the climb, you reach the main hall, where Senju Kannon is enshrined. There I recited the Heart Sutra.
The image is said to have been enshrined in a cave behind the hall, in a mountain long held sacred.
Climbing on, you come to the Daishi-dō, within which lies a mystical space.
The dim, still interior gives the prayer offered there a special weight.
Here a statue of Kōbō Daishi stands, watching over the pilgrims who make the climb.
Its quiet gaze feels like a reward for the effort of reaching so high a temple.
NFT – Crypto Ohenro #18 Goshuin of Iyadani-ji（弥谷寺） –
This is the goshuin of the seventy-first temple, Iyadani-ji. The characters look bold and powerful.
Seventy temples still remained on my journey, the sacred mountain of the dead now behind me.
The distance to the next temple was about 11.3 km, a fair walk down from the heights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the honzon (principal image) of Iyadani-ji (Temple 71)?
The honzon (principal image) of Iyadani-ji（弥谷寺）, Temple 71 of the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage, is Senju Kanzeon Bosatsu（千手観世音菩薩）. It is enshrined in the temple's main hall (hondō), where pilgrims offer incense, recite the Heart Sutra, and receive the temple's goshuin (hand-brushed seal).
Where is Iyadani-ji located?
Iyadani-ji stands in Mitoyo, Kagawa Prefecture, in the old province of Sanuki, on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the seventy-first of the eighty-eight temples of the Shikoku Henro, the circular Buddhist pilgrimage walked in the path of Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai).
Which Buddhist sect does Iyadani-ji belong to?
Iyadani-ji belongs to the Shingon Buddhism (Zentsū-ji school). Its mountain name (sangō), the traditional honorific title by which the temple is also known, is Kengozan Seiju-in（剣五山 千手院）.
When was Iyadani-ji founded?
Iyadani-ji was founded by Gyōki, by order of Emperor Shōmu (8th century). Its history is closely tied to the early growth of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Which temple comes after Iyadani-ji, and how far is it?
The next temple on the route is Temple 72, Mandara-ji (about 3.5 km). Walking in numerical order, pilgrims continue from Iyadani-ji to keep visiting each of the 88 temples and collecting their goshuin.
📖 See the full list of all 88 Shikoku temples →
Can’t make the pilgrimage yourself?Ohenro Gift can walk the 88 temples on your behalf (daisan) and deliver the completed nokyocho.