The tenth temple is Kirihata-ji (切幡寺), dedicated to Senju Kannon and famous for the legend of the weaving maiden who became a Buddha here.
It stands about 9.8 km from the eleventh temple — a long leg that makes arriving feel like a small achievement in itself.
This is the entrance to Kirihata-ji. The old gate is genuinely lovely, though it is a little disappointing to find a car park just beyond it.
Still, the gate sets the tone, and the real climb is only just beginning.
From there you have to climb 333 stone steps to reach the temple itself.
It is a steady haul, but the rhythm of counting your way up the stairs becomes its own small pilgrimage.
This is the main hall, where Senju Kannon is enshrined. Legend says Kōbō Daishi carved the image after a young weaver offered him her cloth, and that she became a Buddha on the spot.
The hall is large and strikingly beautiful, well worth the climb.
This is the Daishi-dō. With sub-tropical trees growing all around, the air felt bright and a little exotic, and I found myself chanting the sutra in an unexpectedly cheerful mood.
The surroundings give this hilltop temple a character quite unlike the temples down on the plain.
The temple also has a very old two-storey pagoda, its broad double-roofed form quite unusual among the temples of the route.
Dating from the early 17th century, it has been designated an Important Cultural Property.
I found myself wishing I could see what lay inside it.
There is something about an old, sealed hall that sets the imagination going, hinting at things kept quietly out of sight.
From this temple high on the mountainside, the view out over the town below is superb — a wide, open panorama that makes the long climb feel more than worth it.
I stood for a while simply taking it in before turning to the goshuin.
NFT – Crypto Ohenro #79 Goshuin of Kirihata-ji（切幡寺） –
This is the goshuin of the tenth temple, Kirihata-ji, earned at the top of its 333 stone steps.
Nine temples were left to go, and reaching double figures felt like a small milestone of its own.
The distance to the next temple was about 3.8 km, an easy descent back toward the plain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the honzon (principal image) of Kirihata-ji (Temple 10)?
The honzon (principal image) of Kirihata-ji（切幡寺）, Temple 10 of the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage, is Senju Kanzeon Bosatsu（千手観世音菩薩）. 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 Kirihata-ji located?
Kirihata-ji stands in Awa, Tokushima Prefecture, in the old province of Awa, on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the tenth 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 Kirihata-ji belong to?
Kirihata-ji belongs to the Kōyasan school of Shingon Buddhism. Its mountain name (sangō), the traditional honorific title by which the temple is also known, is Tokudozan Kanjō-in（得度山 灌頂院）.
When was Kirihata-ji founded?
Kirihata-ji was founded by Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai), early 9th century. Its history is closely tied to the early growth of the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Which temple comes after Kirihata-ji, and how far is it?
The next temple on the route is Temple 11, Fujii-dera (about 9.8 km). Walking in numerical order, pilgrims continue from Kirihata-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.