The sixty-eighth temple is Jinne-in (神恵院), which shares its grounds with the sixty-ninth temple — the only such pair on the whole pilgrimage.
The distance between them is, in effect, zero: the two temples stand in a single precinct.
The entrance to Jinne-in is strikingly modern, built of concrete, quite unlike a typical temple.
It is an unexpected sight, but it has its own clean, contemporary appeal.
Within, you come to the main hall of Jinne-in. It lacks the usual look of a temple, yet it enshrines Amida Nyorai all the same.
The image was once held at the neighbouring Kotohiki Hachiman shrine before being moved here.
This is the Daishi-dō, which has a comforting atmosphere that does feel properly like a temple. Here I recited the Heart Sutra.
After the modern main hall, its more traditional air was quietly reassuring.
Near the temple, on the shore of Kotohiki Park, lies a vast sand artwork shaped like an old Japanese coin, some 345 metres across. I gazed down at it from the hill above and was struck by its scale.
It is a famous sight of the area, best appreciated from a height.
NFT – Crypto Ohenro #21 Goshuin of Jinne-in（神恵院） –
This is the goshuin of the sixty-eighth temple, Jinne-in, received within its shared Kotohiki grounds.
Sixty-seven temples still remained on my journey, two temples visited here in a single precinct.
The distance to the next temple was about 8.7 km, a steady walk on toward Mitoyo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the honzon (principal image) of Jinne-in (Temple 68)?
The honzon (principal image) of Jinne-in（神恵院）, Temple 68 of the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage, is Amida Nyorai（阿弥陀如来）. 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 Jinne-in located?
Jinne-in stands in Kan’onji, Kagawa Prefecture, in the old province of Sanuki, on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the sixty-eighth 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 Jinne-in belong to?
Jinne-in belongs to the Shingon Buddhism (Daikakuji school). Its mountain name (sangō), the traditional honorific title by which the temple is also known, is Shippōzan（七宝山）.
When was Jinne-in founded?
Jinne-in is of ancient origin as the temple of Kotohiki Hachimangū. Its history is closely tied to the early growth of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Which temple comes after Jinne-in, and how far is it?
The next temple on the route is Temple 69, Kannon-ji (about 0.0 km). Walking in numerical order, pilgrims continue from Jinne-in 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.