The twenty-eighth temple is Dainichi-ji (大日寺), set on a hillside in Kōnan and enshrining a large seated Dainichi Nyorai.
It lies about 7.5 km from the twenty-ninth temple, an easy stretch back down toward the plain.
This is the entrance to Dainichi-ji. A gate stands midway up the stairs, and the view from there is very fine.
Pausing on the steps to look back, you take in the surrounding country in a single sweep.
The red banners alongside the stone steps suit the landscape beautifully.
Their colour leads the eye upward, drawing you on toward the hall above.
This is the main hall, where Dainichi Nyorai is enshrined. I recited the sutra while praying for the safety of my family and for peace in the world.
The seated image here is one of the largest of its kind in Shikoku.
This is the Daishi-dō. The temple and its precincts were simple and beautiful, and I found I could chant the sutra here with a wholly clear and empty mind.
Such uncluttered places make it easy to settle into prayer.
There was also a bell here that sounded the chanting of the sutra within the temple.
Its tone drifting across the grounds added to the calm of the visit.
Just outside the temple stands a shop selling pilgrimage gear and tools.
The grounds are also home to a revered camphor tree, long prayed to for healing ailments of the head and face.
NFT – Crypto Ohenro #61 Goshuin of Dainichi-ji（大日寺） –
This is the goshuin of the twenty-eighth temple, Dainichi-ji. It is a wonderfully beautiful seal, one you could not fault.
Twenty-seven temples still remained on my journey, and the walking had become a steady, settled habit.
The distance to the next temple was about 37.5 km, one of the longest single stretches of all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the honzon (principal image) of Dainichi-ji (Temple 28)?
The honzon (principal image) of Dainichi-ji（大日寺）, Temple 28 of the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage, is Dainichi Nyorai（大日如来）. 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 Dainichi-ji located?
Dainichi-ji stands in Kōnan, Kōchi Prefecture, in the old province of Tosa, on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the twenty-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 Dainichi-ji belong to?
Dainichi-ji belongs to the Shingon Buddhism (Chizan school). Its mountain name (sangō), the traditional honorific title by which the temple is also known, is Hōkaizan Kōshō-in（法界山 高照院）.
When was Dainichi-ji founded?
Dainichi-ji was founded by Gyōki under Emperor Shōmu; later restored by Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai). Its history is closely tied to the early growth of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Which temple comes after Dainichi-ji, and how far is it?
The next temple on the route is Temple 29, Tosa Kokubun-ji (about 7.5 km). Walking in numerical order, pilgrims continue from Dainichi-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.