Niomon & Yakushido at Onsenji Temple

 

Onsenji Temple in Kinosaki Onsen, Hyogo, is the guardian temple of the town and was founded in the eighth century by the priest said to have discovered the hot spring.

The main buildings of the temple are located halfway up the mountainside and are reachable by steps from the base of the mountain, or, more commonly nowadays, by the ropeway.

At the bottom of the steps there are several; structures of the temple including an impressive Niomon, and a Yakushi-do.

Constructed in the late 18th Century, the Niomon contains a fine pair of Nio guardians.

The Yakushi-do was constructed a little later in the early 19th Century.

There is another small "hall" with what appears to be statues of Enma and other "Judges of Hell"

In the "foyer" of the Yakushi-do are many ema paintings and a delightful painted ceiling

The Motoyu, or origin of the hot spring is located just outside the temple grounds.

Onsenji is a Shingon temple.

The previous post in this series on Toyooka was on the main buildings of Onsenji.