21‏/01‏/2014

Sekkeiji

Temple #33 of the Ohenro 88 temple pilgrimage

By C. Rio

Community writer

Temple thirty three in the Shikoku Ohenro pilgrimage is also known as the Snowy Cliff Temple. Like the vast majority of temples on Shikoku, Sekkeiji was burnt down during the purge of Buddhism at the beginning of the Meiji restoration. Afterwards, the locals built a Shinto shrine on the newly cleared land. When the temple was rebuilt, it was built on land adjacent to the shrine and the original temple's statues (including 16 which, luckily, had been stored at Temple 31 which are considered National Treasures) were reinstalled.This temple is one of only three Zen temples on the pilgrimage (the others being #11 and #15). To get there, catch a bus from Sakai-Machi bus terminal to Nagahama-eigyosho. From there it’s about a 5 minute walk.