Dainichi-Ji is located in Itano Town, Tokushima Prefecture, and is the 4th temple on the henro route.
According to legend it was founded by Kukai and he carved the main deity sculpture of Dainichi Nyorai. It belongs to the Shingon sect.
The architecture is nothing special, but in a covered corridor connecting the main hall with the Daishi hall are a collection of nice statues.
One thing you will see at every temple on the route is a red statue of Kobo daishi himself.
The corridor contains 33 statues of kannon that were donated by someone from Osaka in the mid eighteenth century.
There is a fine statue of Shomen Kongozo, an interesting deity with daoist overtones and a link to the three monkeys. he is known as a deity to pray to for relief from diseases caused by demons.
There is also a nice statue of Benzaiten.
EDIT..... When I first posted this my knowledge of Buddhist figures was very limited. The red statue is of course Binzaru, and I direct you to the excellent comment blow by Ted Taylor for details...
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