05 Jizoji

Jizoji in Itano, Tokushima Prefecture, is the fifth temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage — one of Japan's most revered Buddhist circuits, comprising 88 temples said to have been established by the monk Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) in the 9th century. The temple belongs to the Omuro branch of Shingon Buddhism, an esoteric school rooted in tantric ritual, mantra recitation, and meditative practice. Pilgrims completing the full circuit on foot, known as Henro, traditionally wear white robes and a wide-brimmed sedge hat as symbols of spiritual openness and readiness for death along the way. As an early stop on the route, Jizoji receives a steady flow of pilgrims who light incense, ring the temple bell, and perform sutra chanting within the temple grounds.