kichijou kusa tera

Kissho-soji is a temple of the Honzan Shugendo sect located in Chihara, Gose City, Nara Prefecture. It is known as the birthplace of En no Ozuno, the founder of Shugendo mountain asceticism. The temple bears the mountain name Chiharazan. En no Ozuno, revered as the patriarch of Shugendo, opened mountain ascetic routes including Mt. Omine during the Asuka period. As the land of his birth, this temple has been venerated as a sacred site of Shugendo since antiquity. Many ascetics and pilgrims continue to visit the precinct, which preserves relics associated with En no Ozuno. In recent years it has also become known for enshrining anime-style characters as objects of veneration, making it a unique place where ancient traditions and contemporary culture intersect.