The sixty-fifth temple is Sankaku-ji (三角寺), the last temple in Ehime, set on a quiet hillside and enshrining an Eleven-Headed Kannon.
It stands about 18.1 km from the sixty-sixth temple, at around 360 metres’ elevation.
This is the entrance to Sankaku-ji, a little old and with a pleasant atmosphere about it.
Its worn, lived-in look suits a temple of such long standing.
There are close to fifty steps up to the gate, old and made of stone, and they feel ancient underfoot.
Climbing them slowly, you sense the centuries of pilgrims who came before.
This is the main hall, where the Eleven-Headed Kannon is enshrined — a large two-storey building with a high roof.
The temple takes its name from a triangular goma altar where Kōbō Daishi performed a fire rite for the nation.
A large Buddha image stood beside the Daishi-dō, seeming to watch over the pilgrims who came and went.
Its calm gaze gave the grounds a reassuring, watchful feel.
NFT – Crypto Ohenro #24 Goshuin of Sankaku-ji（三角寺） –
This is the goshuin of the sixty-fifth temple, Sankaku-ji. The play of thick and thin in the brushwork is excellent — characters you could fairly call beautiful.
Sixty-four temples still remained on my journey, the last temple of Ehime now done.
The distance to the next temple was about 45.2 km — a long road toward the highest temple of all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the honzon (principal image) of Sankaku-ji (Temple 65)?
The honzon (principal image) of Sankaku-ji（三角寺）, Temple 65 of the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage, is Jūichimen Kanzeon Bosatsu（十一面観世音菩薩）. 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 Sankaku-ji located?
Sankaku-ji stands in Shikokuchūō, Ehime Prefecture, in the old province of Iyo, on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the sixty-fifth 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 Sankaku-ji belong to?
Sankaku-ji belongs to the Kōyasan school of Shingon Buddhism. Its mountain name (sangō), the traditional honorific title by which the temple is also known, is Yureizan Jison-in（由霊山 慈尊院）.
When was Sankaku-ji founded?
Sankaku-ji was founded by Gyōki; the triangular rite performed by Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai). Its history is closely tied to the early growth of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Which temple comes after Sankaku-ji, and how far is it?
The next temple on the route is Temple 66, Unpen-ji (about 18.1 km). Walking in numerical order, pilgrims continue from Sankaku-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.