#42 （47th Temple） Yasaka-ji
八坂寺

The forty-seventh temple is Yasaka-ji (八坂寺), founded by the Shugendō ascetic En no Gyōja and enshrining Amida Nyorai.

It lies about 4.5 km from the forty-eighth temple, among the southern outskirts of Matsuyama.

This is the entrance to Yasaka-ji. Unlike the other temples, you cross a bridge to enter the grounds.

That little crossing gives arriving here a distinct sense of passing into another space.

Beautiful paintings of the Buddha and other Tathagatas adorn the ceiling of the entrance.

I found myself looking up for a long while, taking them in.

A cat lay napping on a bench on the bridge, utterly at ease.

Such small, peaceful scenes are part of what makes each temple feel alive.

This is the main hall, where Amida Nyorai is enshrined.

I offered incense and recited the sutra before the Buddha of the Western Pure Land.

The Daishi-dō has a slightly different atmosphere from the main hall. Here I chanted the Heart Sutra, wishing for the safety of my family and for peace in the world.

Each hall, I was learning, has a mood of its own.

There is also a hall here that depicts both paradise and hell, set out as two separate paths to walk.

To pass between visions of the Pure Land and the realms of suffering is a sobering, memorable experience.

NFT – Crypto Ohenro #42 Goshuin of Yasaka-ji（八坂寺） –

This is the goshuin of the forty-seventh temple, Yasaka-ji. You can tell at a glance it was brushed by a master of calligraphy — it could fairly be called a work of art.

Forty-six temples still remained on my journey, the eight Matsuyama temples falling quickly one after another.

The distance to the next temple was about 0.9 km — barely a few minutes’ walk away.