The forty-sixth temple is Jōruri-ji (浄瑠璃寺), the first of Matsuyama’s eight pilgrimage temples, enshrining Yakushi Nyorai.
It lies just 0.9 km from the forty-seventh temple — barely a few minutes’ walk apart.
This temple has no gate; a flight of stairs marks the entrance.
You climb straight up into the grounds, with no formal threshold to cross.
This is the main hall, where Yakushi Nyorai is enshrined. The surrounding trees are faintly tropical, giving the place the air of a temple set in a jungle.
The lush greenery makes it a cool, restful spot to pause.
The Daishi-dō too is wrapped in trees. Here again I chanted the Heart Sutra, praying for the safety of my family, for peace in the world, and for a good day ahead.
The leafy quiet made the prayer feel especially settled.
A great tree said to be over a thousand years old grows in the grounds — a towering juniper blessed, by tradition, by Kōbō Daishi himself.
Standing beneath its spreading branches, you feel the long centuries the temple has seen.
NFT – Crypto Ohenro #43 Goshuin of Jōruri-ji（浄瑠璃寺） –
This is the goshuin of the forty-sixth temple, Jōruri-ji, the first of Matsuyama’s eight temples.
Forty-five temples still remained on my journey, the city’s clustered temples now ahead.
The distance to the next temple was about 24.2 km, a fair stretch of road to walk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the honzon (principal image) of Jōruri-ji (Temple 46)?
The honzon (principal image) of Jōruri-ji（浄瑠璃寺）, Temple 46 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 Jōruri-ji located?
Jōruri-ji stands in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, in the old province of Iyo, on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the forty-sixth 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 Jōruri-ji belong to?
Jōruri-ji belongs to the Shingon Buddhism (Buzan school). Its mountain name (sangō), the traditional honorific title by which the temple is also known, is Iōzan Yōji-in（医王山 養治院）.
When was Jōruri-ji founded?
Jōruri-ji was founded by Gyōki in 708. Its history is closely tied to the early growth of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Which temple comes after Jōruri-ji, and how far is it?
The next temple on the route is Temple 47, Yasaka-ji (about 0.9 km). Walking in numerical order, pilgrims continue from Jōruri-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.