Taizoji

The first seven temples of the Kyushu Fudo Myo Pilgrimage are located on the Kunisaki Peninsula. Rather than visit them in numerical order I decided instead to walk most of the Kunisaki Minemichi Long Trail, a 137 kilometer route that to a large extent follows the ancient yamabuchi pilgrimage route that winds around the peninsula.

The route starts at Taizoji, actually it starts up above the temple at the largest cliff carvings in Japan. The temple is now uninhabited. There is a lot of statuary,..... the 7 lucky gods,..... the Chinese zodiac animals..... several Fudo Myo's....... quite an emphasis on genze riyaku, praying for "practical benefits".

Behind the main buildings was a new, small building devoted to prayers for luck with the lottery...

It was up the mountainside behind the temple that the real delights await.....