Iwayaji Temple

4.5

This temple belongs to the Buzan sect of Shingon Buddhism and is located in KumakogenTown in Kamiukena County, Ehime Prefecture, and it is the 45th temple of the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. The hall erected to look like it is embedded in a large rock is one of the striking features of this sacred mountain site. It is said that in 815, a female deity gifted the mountains to Kukai, where he proceeded to sculpt stone and wooden statues of Acala. The wooden statue is enshrined in the main hall as the principal image. The stone statue is enshrined in a cave as a statue rarely shown to the public and is said to be the principal image for the whole mountain. The temple grounds were designated a national Places of Scenic Beauty, and the Kobo Daishi hall that was rebuilt in 1920 is a National Important Cultural Property. The “seriwari-zenjo” site where Kukai is said to have meditated is also worth visiting.

Spot details

Address: Ehime Pref. Kamiukenagunkumakougenchou Nanatori 1468 Map
Area: Mt. Ishizuchi / Shikoku Karst Area
Phone: 0892570417
Hours: 7:00-17:00
Closed: open everyday
Parking Lot: Not available (Neighborhood Fee Parking Available)
Credit Card: Not available
Smoking: Not available
Wi-Fi: Not available
Average budget: [Lunch] 1-1,000yen
Estimated stay time: 30-60 minutes

Information Sources: NAVITIME JAPAN

Itineraries about this spot

Review

Worth the challenging hike

Reviewed : 2015.07.14

We met a bunch of cool local Japanese henro on the way out of this temple, which made our ability to navigate the forest trail far easier without speaking any Japanese. This is a beautiful Temple...
四国８８所霊場第４５番札所の古寺名刹です

Reviewed : 2023.02.22

四国霊場の遍路寺の中でも、交通手段が発達したとは云え、ここは数少ない「難所寺」の一つでした。寺院の立地も切り立った岩の中腹とか、よくもこんな場所にこれだけの堂塔が造れたものだと，感嘆に値する寺院です。人知の及ばない何かが造ったとさえ思える。私たちのような年寄には年々、遍路するのにしんどさが増す行程でした。それにしても何故、愛知の岩屋寺は「岩屋寺」だけで口コミページが登場するのにこの遍路寺の岩屋寺は...
四国八十八か所霊場、45番

Reviewed : 2022.07.03

四国八十八か所霊場巡り最初の訪問地でしたが、皆さんの口コミ通りちょっとした山登りをして向かった先にある本堂などはとても素晴らしかったです。静かで厳かな場所に鳥のさえずりだけが聞こえ、本堂まで登るのはちょっと大変でしたが癒される場所でした。一番最初に行って良かったと思います。