10 Kirihataji

Kirihataji is the tenth temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, an 88-shrine circuit on the Japanese island of Shikoku that draws both devout Buddhists and secular walkers each year. The temple belongs to the esoteric Kogi school of Shingon Buddhism, a tradition tracing its lineage to the monk Kūkai, who founded the pilgrimage route in the early 9th century. Set on a wooded hillside of Kannonyama in the former domain of Awa — present-day Tokushima Prefecture — it commands a panoramic view across the Yoshino Valley toward Mount Koetsu. Pilgrims, known locally as Ohenro-san and recognisable in their white jackets and sedge hats, pass through as one of the route's early stages. The mountain setting and Shingon ritual atmosphere give the site a contemplative stillness even when pilgrims are present.