Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Temple 7 Komyoji

Komyoji

Komyoji, the seventh temple on the Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage is on a mountaintop, Johirayama, overlooking the Ibi River in the Hikawa District. It has a fine pair of Nio.

All temple records were lost so it is not known for sure when it was founded, though a local legend says early in the ninth Century. It is now a Soto zen temple.

A specially constructed building houses what is known as the "Korean Bell", which dates from the fifteenth Century. Almost certainly this was looted from Korea during Hideyoshi's late 16th Century invasion.

The priest wasn't home.... he passed me driving down the mountain while I was walking up, but some of his robes were hung out to dry in the porch of his house.

There are some nice views over the surrounding countryside. This is only the third day of this pilgrimage but it is shaping up to be an interesting and enjoyable one.