The forty-eighth temple is Sairin-ji (西林寺), set in the city of Matsuyama and enshrining an Eleven-Headed Kannon.
It lies about 3.2 km from the forty-ninth temple, an easy walk through town.
This is the entrance to Sairin-ji. The large gate, appearing suddenly amid the city, stops passers-by in their tracks — a historic gate, yet solidly built, with Kongō Rikishi standing guard.
It makes a commanding landmark among the ordinary streets around it.
This is the main hall, where the Eleven-Headed Kannon is enshrined. The grounds are beautifully kept, swept clean and very lovely.
That careful tidiness lends the whole temple a calm, well-tended grace.
Beside the main hall I chanted the Heart Sutra at the Daishi-dō as well. By now, used to the sutra, I could recite it smoothly and without stumbling.
Not far away lies the famous Tsue-no-Fuchi spring, said to have welled up where Kōbō Daishi struck his staff.
I found a cat fast asleep on one of the temple’s pillars, curled up without a care.
Little scenes like this have a way of softening even the most solemn of grounds.
NFT – Crypto Ohenro #41 Goshuin of Sairin-ji（西林寺） –
This is the goshuin of the forty-eighth temple, Sairin-ji. Its characters are intriguing — they look almost like a picture of a lantern.
Forty-seven temples still remained on my journey, the road running on through Matsuyama.
The distance to the next temple was about 4.5 km, a pleasant walk across the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the honzon (principal image) of Sairin-ji (Temple 48)?
The honzon (principal image) of Sairin-ji（西林寺）, Temple 48 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 Sairin-ji located?
Sairin-ji stands in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, in the old province of Iyo, on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the forty-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 Sairin-ji belong to?
Sairin-ji belongs to the Shingon Buddhism (Buzan school). Its mountain name (sangō), the traditional honorific title by which the temple is also known, is Seiryūzan Anyō-in（清滝山 安養院）.
When was Sairin-ji founded?
Sairin-ji was founded by Gyōki in 741, by order of Emperor Shōmu. Its history is closely tied to the early growth of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Which temple comes after Sairin-ji, and how far is it?
The next temple on the route is Temple 49, Jōdo-ji (about 3.2 km). Walking in numerical order, pilgrims continue from Sairin-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.