Shiraishi-jima Island
Mt. Kobo Kairyuji Temple
The Inner Temple Under the Huge Stone is Strongly Connected to Kobo Daishi.
Kairyuji Temple is a branch temple of the Kasaoka Henjo Temple belonging to the Shingon sect of esoteric Buddhism. When high priest Kobo Daishi returned from a trip to China in 806, he visited Shiraishi-jima Island and underwent religious training there for 37 days. When he left the island, he used his own walking cane to carve an approximately 6 cm. image of himself which became enshrined at the Daishi Hall.
The Taishi Hall is the inner and head temple of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage of Konoshima. In addition, when the Heike family lost the Genji-Heike War and escaped to Shiraishi-jima Island, the victor Genji slaughtered the survivors of the war. The temple was built to house all the memorial services for the survivors under one roof.
Overview
| Address | 855 Shiraishi-jima, Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan 714-0036 |
|---|---|
| TEL | 0865-68-3014 |
| Access | From the Sumiyoshi Boarding Dock at Kasaoka Port, take the regular passenger vessel (Sanyo Kisen) and travel 22 minutes (high-speed ship) to Shiraishi Port. |