四國遍路：長尾寺秋天漫步+長尾天神宮紅葉+大樟樹+詳細交通方法｜Nagaoji Temple

The 88 temples on the Shikoku Pilgrimage are scattered throughout Kagawa, Tokushima, Ehime and Kochi in Shikoku. Some temples are relatively close and can be visited together; some are inaccessible; this time we visited Nagaoji Temple, is a temple with convenient transportation.

We started from Takamatsu City and took the Kotohira Electric Railway from Kawaramachi Station to Nagao Station. The Railway has three lines, namely Nagao Line, Kotohira Line and Shido Line. The color of the Nagao Line is green, and the trains are also green. They are clearly distinguishable from the yellow trains of the Kotohira Line, making it difficult to get on the wrong train.

Our green tram to Nagao arrived. This is the Kotohira Electric Railway Nagao Line, which connects Takamatsu City to Nagao. The total distance is about 15 kilometers and the journey time is about 30 minutes.

The interior of the tram retains an old-fashioned atmosphere, allowing you to enjoy a leisurely train ride. The tram passes through the residential area. Looking out from the train window, you can see the peaceful pastoral scenery and residences.

We arrived at the last stop, Nagao Station. Nagao Station is a station located in Nagao, Sanuki City. The station number is N17.

Nagao Station is a wooden station with a tasteful and peaceful atmosphere.

The place we went to was the 87th temple, Nagaoji Temple. Nagaoji Temple is nearby, let’s walk there leisurely.

The 87 the temple, Nagao-ji Temple, located exactly between the 86th temple, Shido-ji, and the 88th temple, Okubo-ji, is a temple located in a residential area with a wide plain.

There is a large precinct. There is hosted on some traditional events, such as Daieyo Fuku Ubai, where visitors receive a wooden tag as a blessing, and Okagami Mochi Nage, where contestants lift huge rice cakes weighing over 150 kilograms.

The temple has a spacious and tranquil atmosphere, with several buildings that showcase the temple's architecture.

The main hall, which houses the statue of Sho Kannon, was rebuilt in 1839 and has a hip-and-gable roof with ornamental tiles.

The Yakushido hall, which worships Yakushi Nyorai (the Medicine Buddha), was built in 1826 and has a hipped roof with clay tiles.

The Daishido hall, which is dedicated to Kobo Daishi (Kukai), the founder of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, was constructed in 1824 and has a thatched roof with a dragon-shaped ornament on top.

The Gomado hall, where fire rituals are performed, was erected in 1825 and has a gabled roof with wooden shingles.

The temple is also known as "O Kannon-san" because it enshrines a statue of Sho Kannon (Aryavalokitesvara), the bodhisattva of compassion, carved by the monk Gyoki in the 8th century from a willow tree.

The temple has a long and rich history, dating back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333), when it flourished under the patronage of the imperial court and nobility.

The temple is also associated with Shizuka Gozen, the famous concubine of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a legendary warrior of the 12th century. After Yoshitsune's death, Shizuka Gozen returned to her hometown of Nagao with her mother, Iso no Zenji, and became a nun at Nagaoji Temple. There is a monument in the temple grounds that contains a lock of her hair, which was cut off when she shaved her head.

Year after year, large numbers of pilgrims come to worship, the temples are renovated, and the incense never disappears.

A long time ago, Sugawara Michizane served as an official in the Sanuki Kingdom. At that time, there was a monk in Nagao Temple who was a good friend of Sugawara Michizane. In 902, when Sugawara was demoted to Kyushu, the monk gave him a poem that says “Unexpected heavenly one-month moon” to comfort Sugawara's heart.

Therefore, Tenma Jizai Tenjingu Shrine was established on the grounds of Nagaoji Temple in 1710.

You can see Bodhidharma neatly arranged in Nagao Tenjingu Shrine. What a lovely sight. There is also a pen mound near Tenmanjizao Tenjingu Shrine.

The temple is not famous for ginko and Japanese maple trees. But, if you find it carefully, there is some maple leaves had been turned beautiful colors in autumn.

Walked through Niomon , the main gate, you will find the two stone shrines wrere built in front of the gate.

A pair of hand-copied sutras that are designated as Important National Cultural Properties, and tell the tale of the temple's glory and decline.

Niomon is an unusual building that doubles as a bell tower, so it is also called "Bell Tower Gate". There are large straw sandals hanging on both sides of the door. The huge straw sandals are about 4 meters high and are quite spectacular when viewed up close.

Nagaoji Temple is a place where visitors can experience the culture and history of Sanuki City and the Shikoku Pilgrimage.