Honzanji

Honzanji is the 70th sacred site of the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Temple Pilgrimage and an ancient temple built on hills overlooking the Sanuki Plain. As its name "Honzan" suggests, it flourished as the central focus of Buddhist faith in this region. With the Horse-Headed Kannon as its principal deity, it is cherished as a temple dedicated to protecting livestock such as horses and cattle, and praying for the development of agriculture. It is also venerated as a guardian deity of traffic safety, and in modern times many people visit to pray for the safety of vehicles and motorcycles.