Matsuyama｜The most effective temple in Shikoku Pilgrimage: Ishitemachi Temple, the mysterious wheel of wisdom, and the legend of the power stone

This is a very special temple, with a style different from the Japanese temples I have visited before. It has been recommended by the Michelin Guide with one star, and is also the birthplace of Shikoku Pilgrimage. Let's start with history. According to legend, 1,200 years ago, Kobo Daishi founded 88 temples in Shikoku, and Ishitemura Temple was the 51st. According to the tiles unearthed from the temple, it was discovered that the predecessor was an affiliated facility of Nara Horyuji Temple during the Hakuho period. Ishitemura Temple was actually Anyang Temple at the beginning, and Gyoki Shonin personally carved the statue of Yakushi Nyorai for worship. The name change to Ishitemura Temple is related to the first person to walk the 1,200-kilometer pilgrimage, Saburo Emon. At that time, Saburo Emon followed Kobo Daishi on the pilgrimage, but unfortunately fell seriously ill on the way. He held a stone with "Emon Saburo Returns" in his hand, hoping to be reborn in the next life as a daimyo of Iyo Province, Kono family. Because of this allusion, the name of Ishitemura Temple came into being, and the stone was also enshrined in Ishitemura Temple. Today, Niomon Gate is listed as a national treasure in Japan. There is a pair of large straw sandals on the gate. It is said that believers with bad legs can be cured as long as they pray sincerely. The main hall and the three-story pagoda are also listed as important cultural properties. In the Edo period, more than 10,000 people walked the Shikoku Pilgrimage. During the worship, several practitioners were also met. When they worshipped, they would chant sutras in front of the main hall and then leave, with bells hanging on their bodies. When I chatted with the temple staff when asking for the Goshuin, I found that the people who walked the Shikoku Pilgrimage ranged from their twenties to their seventies and eighties. Most of them wanted to "find themselves", and the age group of 20-40 years old accounted for the most people. It was a bit like the Japanese version of the pilgrimage road. If you ride a bicycle to walk the Shikoku Pilgrimage, it will take at least two weeks; if you walk purely, it will take more than 40 days. There are mini pilgrimage incense bags of 88 temples next to the temple, which can also feel the determination and perseverance of the practitioners of the Pilgrimage. 📍Address: 2 Chome-9-21 Ishite, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0852 Japan 🚗Take the Matsuyama tram to Dogo Onsen Station, and walk for 20 minutes. #5月好去处2025