The fifty-first temple is Ishite-ji (石手寺), the “Stone Hand Temple,” one of the most beloved temples on the whole route, enshrining Yakushi Nyorai.
It stands about 11.8 km from the fifty-second temple, close to the famous Dōgo hot spring.
This is the entrance to Ishite-ji. Its old but splendid gate is in fact a National Treasure, and being so popular a temple, it draws crowds of sightseers as well as pilgrims.
The bustle around the gate gives the place a lively, almost festive air.
This is the main hall, where Yakushi Nyorai is enshrined. The large golden object set before it is a vajra, a ritual implement of ancient Indian origin.
I offered incense and recited the sutra amid the steady flow of visitors.
Around the Daishi-dō there is so much to see that I found myself praying a little restlessly. There are many tourists, yet this corner felt less crowded.
The sheer density of statues and offerings makes Ishite-ji feel almost like a small sacred town.
The precincts of Ishite-ji have a truly wonderful atmosphere.
Every corner seems to hold another weathered statue or quiet shrine to discover.
The three-storey pagoda is also spectacular, rising handsomely above the grounds.
Its tiered roofs are a fine sight against the sky.
A bag of stones gathered from other temples is enshrined here as well.
It is a touching emblem of how the eighty-eight temples are all bound into a single journey.
From there a passage leads on toward the temple’s famous mantra cave.
The change from open grounds to narrow tunnel makes the approach feel quietly charged.
Entering the cavity in the rock, you find a mysterious space with a Buddha enshrined within.
The dim, close air of the cave gives the encounter a genuinely otherworldly feel.
If you write your wish on a stone and stack it up here, it is said your wish may come true.
The little towers of inscribed stones are a moving record of countless hopes.
The Buddha and the colourful paintings on the surrounding walls held me spellbound.
Their vivid colours light up the cave like a hidden gallery of devotion.
NFT – Crypto Ohenro #38 Goshuin of Ishite-ji（石手寺） –
This is the goshuin of the fifty-first temple, Ishite-ji. It looks quickly brushed, yet it is really very fine.
Fifty temples still remained on my journey, this most lively of temples now behind me.
The distance to the next temple was about 2.8 km, a short walk near Dōgo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the honzon (principal image) of Ishite-ji (Temple 51)?
The honzon (principal image) of Ishite-ji（石手寺）, Temple 51 of the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage, is Yakushi Nyorai（薬師如来）. 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 Ishite-ji located?
Ishite-ji stands in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, in the old province of Iyo, on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the fifty-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 Ishite-ji belong to?
Ishite-ji belongs to the Shingon Buddhism (Buzan school). Its mountain name (sangō), the traditional honorific title by which the temple is also known, is Kumanozan Kokūzō-in（熊野山 虚空蔵院）.
When was Ishite-ji founded?
Ishite-ji was founded by Gyōki (as Anyō-ji); renamed Ishite-ji in 892. Its history is closely tied to the early growth of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Which temple comes after Ishite-ji, and how far is it?
The next temple on the route is Temple 52, Taisan-ji (about 11.8 km). Walking in numerical order, pilgrims continue from Ishite-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.