Kosanji Temple, Miraishin no Oka [Hiroshima]

【Kosanji Temple summary】

Choseizan Kosanji Temple was built in 1936. Kozo (Kanemoto) Kosanji, a businessman and inventor, built this temple in memory of his mother and in hopes for the development of Setoda, his mother’s hometown. He also built various structures in the likeness of his favorite Buddhist temple in order to create a cultural asset in his hometown. Therefore, the entire temple area is open to the public and maintained as a museum facility. The temple’s only source of income is the entrance fee, which is 1,400 yen for adults.

【Kosanji Temple precincts】

The temple is lined with halls and towers built in imitation of ancient architecture from various parts of Japan, and is also known as “Nikko of the West” and “Mother Temple.

The temple’s 15 buildings, including the gate and main hall, are registered as tangible cultural properties of Japan.

Main Ani Kyoto Gosho Shishinden, Horyuji Seinenkaran, Kiyomizu Temple Nishimen, Shin-Yakushiji Temple Bell Tower, Main Hall, Murokuji Temple Five-storied Pagoda, Shitennoji Temple Kindo, Nikko Toshogu Shrine Sun Myoimon Temple Amidang, Heikein Temple Fukuhodo, Ishiyamadera Temple Dobutsuka Pagoda, Jishoji Temple Ginkakaku

The buildings are lined up in a row of glittering pagodas modeled after famous architectural structures in Japan, such as the “Koto” (the first temple in Japan) and the “Kikkoman” (the second temple in Japan). Because they are replicas, they do not have the historical significance or originality of the old temples and shrines in Nara and Kyoto, but they seem to be respectful and serious imitations of these structures.

In fact, several of them are registered as tangible cultural properties, and I believe that our wish to establish cultural assets in the local community has been fully accomplished.

But… there are a lot of structures and a lot of protagonists in the situation, and I think this is what makes it feel like a theme park.

【Kosanji Temple Thousand Buddha Cave Hell Gorge】

A man-made cave carved underground in the precincts of Kosanji Temple, about 15 meters deep and 350 meters in total length, is an underground sacred site. One-way traffic. It represents the “view of hell” and “optimism of paradise” in the Buddhist world.

Further inside, a cave made from lava brought from Mount Fuji and Mount Asama is filled with around 1,000 stone Buddha statues.

This place… had an impact, but I didn’t really want to stay too long…

【Kosanji Temple Miraishin no Oka】

A pure white marble garden appears at the far end of the property. It was designed and created by Itto Kuetani, a sculptor active in Italy. All of the approximately 3,000 tons of marble was mined in Carrara, Italy, where he has his studio, and brought here by container ship. *Miraishin no Oka cannot be visited by itself.

In recent years, it has been featured in numerous media outlets and seems to be attracting a lot of attention from both Japan and abroad, especially among young tourists.

【Kosanji Temple Nearby attractions】

Oyamazumi Shrine,Kusado Inari Shrine,Atomic Bomb Dome,Hiroshima Castle

Oyamazumi Shrine [Ehime]

原爆ドーム【広島県】

広島城【広島県】

【Kosanji Temple Access】

Manager’s Comments

The architecture was recent, and the place had a theme park-like atmosphere, with a kind of Japanese temple feel. However, the Senbutsu-do Hell Gorge is a bit spooky, and there is a white marble garden called Miraishin no Oka (Hill of Future Mind), which is a great place to see and be instagrammed. Perhaps shrine and temple lovers will give it a polarized evaluation. Whether or not you should pay the high admission fee to see it is a matter of personal judgment, but if you don’t have excessive expectations, I think it is a place where you can fully enjoy yourself.

scenery

 (4)

ambience

 (3.5)

access

 (2)

my opinion

 (4)

Kosanji Temple, Miraishin no Oka

553-2 Setoda, Setoda-cho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-2411, Japan

※Paid parking available

Approximately 40 minutes by car from JR Onomichi Station

参考

About Kousanji（kosanji）

関連投稿(Related Posts):

Itsukushima Shrine [Hiroshima] Hokoku jinja(Shrine) Senjokaku Pavilion [Hiroshima] Zojo-ji Temple [Tokyo] Gokoku-ji Temple [Tokyo]