The sixty-fourth temple is Maegami-ji (前神寺), head temple of the Ishizuchi mountain-worship tradition, enshrining Amida Nyorai.
It lies a long 45.2 km from the sixty-fifth temple, at the foot of Mt. Ishizuchi.
This is the entrance to Maegami-ji. It is built beside the car park and does not make the best first impression.
Beyond it, though, the grounds open into deep, atmospheric woodland.
On the way to the main hall, a stone Fudō Myōō stands where water springs from the stone wall. Perhaps it is the quality of the water that keeps the spot so clear.
The flowing water gives the approach a cool, sacred feel.
This is the main hall, where Amida Nyorai is enshrined. I recited the Heart Sutra in the empty hall.
The solitude made the prayer feel especially deep.
Next I recited the Heart Sutra at the Daishi-dō. The weather was fine and my spirits high, and I wished for the safety of my family.
Good weather has a way of carrying a prayer along with it.
There was an old stone statue of Kōbō Daishi here, mysterious in its harmony with the forest rising behind it.
Weathered and moss-touched, it seemed almost part of the woods themselves.
NFT – Crypto Ohenro #25 Goshuin of Maegami-ji（前神寺） –
This is the goshuin of the sixty-fourth temple, Maegami-ji — fine characters with a very sharp movement of the brush.
Sixty-three temples still remained on my journey, the great mountain of Ishizuchi at my back.
The distance to the next temple was about 18.1 km — a long walk lay ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the honzon (principal image) of Maegami-ji (Temple 64)?
The honzon (principal image) of Maegami-ji（前神寺）, Temple 64 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 Maegami-ji located?
Maegami-ji stands in Saijō, Ehime Prefecture, in the old province of Iyo, on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the sixty-fourth 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 Maegami-ji belong to?
Maegami-ji belongs to the Shingon Buddhism (Ishizuchi school). Its mountain name (sangō), the traditional honorific title by which the temple is also known, is Ishizuchisan Konjiki-in（石鈇山 金色院）.
When was Maegami-ji founded?
Maegami-ji was founded by En no Gyōja under Emperor Tenmu (7th century). Its history is closely tied to the early growth of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Which temple comes after Maegami-ji, and how far is it?
The next temple on the route is Temple 65, Sankaku-ji (about 45.2 km). Walking in numerical order, pilgrims continue from Maegami-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.