Iyatani-ji

Iyatani-ji is the seventy-first pilgrimage site of the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Temple Circuit and stands as a unique mountain temple built into the rock face of Iyatani Mountain. Read as "iyatani-ji," it is indeed a pilgrimage site that makes use of the mystical terrain of the valley as its name suggests. With the Thousand-Armed Kannon as its principal image, the temple grounds scattered with rock caverns and stone Buddha statues are enveloped in a mystical atmosphere like a natural pilgrimage site itself. Particularly known for its spiritual efficacy in warding off evil and averting disaster, many people visit seeking to overcome life's difficulties. It is truly a sacred realm where the beauty of nature's creation and faith are unified.