Jōkō-ji

Jōkōji is an ancient temple of the Shingon-shū Buzan-ha sect located in Obuse Town, Nagano Prefecture. Known by the alternate name Tsumakoi Yakushi (Spouse-Longing Medicine Buddha), its principal image is Yakushi Nyorai. The Yakushi-dō hall, said to date to 1408 (Ōei 15), is designated as an Important Cultural Property by the national government. With the mountain name Jōruri-zan, the precincts feature a stone monument bearing a haiku by the poet Kobayashi Issa, lending the site a refined cultural atmosphere. Rooted in the faith of the northern Shinano mountain village, it has long welcomed worshippers seeking recovery from illness and peace of mind and body. The ever-changing natural beauty of the precincts through the seasons gently envelops the hearts of all who visit.