Temples & Shrines - Matsuyama | ArrivalGuides.com

Temples & ShrinesGuide was updated: August 20, 2024

Matsuyama is home to eight of the 88 Buddhist temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, as well as to many dramatic Shinto shrines. You can see pilgrims dressed in white making their way between the temples, while the shrines are the focus of exciting and varied seasonal festivals.

Joruri-ji Temple

Joruri-ji is temple No. 46 of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. The temple building is largely hidden from view by the tall, ancient juniper trees that surround it. The grounds are a beautiful, well-tended garden. Next to the main hall is a bower of wisteria, and beyond it are ponds of lotus. The wood at Joruri-ji is beautifully carved and weathered, with sinuous grain that forms abstract patterns.

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Yasaka-ji Temple

Yasaka-ji is temple No. 47 of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. With its painted gateway, the temple has a festive air, despite the huge graveyard behind it. In the cool, dark basement of the temple, there are 8,000 ceramic Amida Buddha statuettes purchased by devotees from around the country, each with the person’s name on it. Another unusual feature of this temple is the two little tunnels representing the Buddhist heaven and hell.

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Enmyo-ji Temple

Enmyo-ji is temple No. 53 of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. It's tucked away in the old part of town, surrounded by a rough old grey wall, with a number of buildings in different styles clustered inside the compound. Many temples have elaborate tile roofs, but the tile work at Enmyo-ji is especially elaborate and magnificent. Enmyo-ji is also home to a rare Christian “Maria Kannon” statue.

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Hanta-ji Temple

Hanta-ji Temple is No. 50 of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. It was established in the middle of the 8th century. Hanta-ji has an elegant, well-kept sophisticated air about it, with its graveled precincts, marble stepping stones and wisteria bower.

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Sairin-ji Temple

Sairin-ji is temple No.49 of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. Sairin-ji is located in an area where clear spring water wells up, and the pond on its grounds is home to the most beautifully coloured carp (koi). The surrounding mountains provide a dramatic backdrop to the temple compound with its elegant gate and buildings.

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Tsubaki Shrine

Tsubaki-jinja is one of Matsuyama's most popular shrines. Local people visit this large, attractive complex to celebrate the new year, weddings, and various other Shinto observances throughout the year.

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Jodo-ji Temple

Jodo-ji is temple No. 49 of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. It's set against a row of low hills that face the south of Matsuyama. The temple, while generally impressive, is one of the more architecturally subdued of the temples in Matsuyama with a rustic and weathered air. The graveyard behind the temple has a mysterious atmosphere.

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Taisan-ji Temple

Taisan-ji is temple No. 52 of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. It's close to the port of Takahama and is said to have been founded by a wealthy merchant from Kyushu in the sixth century, after he was washed up at Takahama in a storm. The bell tower has fantastic depictions of heaven and hell.

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Matsuyama Shrine

Matsuyama Shrine is found on a hill on the outskirts of Dogo. It's dedicated to the Tokugawa family, and their heraldic device of three hollyhock leaves inside a circle is prominent. The trees around the shrine reflect the changing seasons, and there's a fine view of Matsuyama Castle and the sea from here.

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Ishite-ji Temple

Ishite-ji is temple No. 51 of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. It's a weird place. The main hall and pagoda are built in the architectural style of the Kamakura Period (1192-1333). Behind the temple buildings is a doorway to a dark hole in the mountain which forms the backdrop to Ishite. This leads to a series of tunnels filled with strange statuary. Your visit to Ishite-ji will be memorable!

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Gokoku Shrine

Gokoku Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to people who died in war. It's filled with memorials to the dead, mostly from WWII. These include a bent propeller from a Zero fighter, a statue of a Kamikaze pilot, and a stone sentry box. Gokoku Shrine is not all about war, however. As an attractive large shrine located in a convenient place, it’s visited by families all year round seeking blessings for newborns and children. Behind Gokoku Shrine is the peak of Miyukiji-san. This mountain is easy to climb and offers spectacular views over Matsuyama.

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Temples & Shrines in Matsuyama

Joruri-ji Temple

Yasaka-ji Temple

Enmyo-ji Temple

Hanta-ji Temple

Sairin-ji Temple

Tsubaki Shrine

Jodo-ji Temple

Taisan-ji Temple

Matsuyama Shrine

Ishite-ji Temple

Gokoku Shrine