@wanderfulrevolution: **Temple 63 — Kichijō-ji** Kichijō-ji sits in Saijō, and the temple holds a distinction that sets it apart from every other stop on the pilgrimage: it's the only one of the 88 temples dedicated to Bishamonten, one of the Four Heavenly Kings and a guardian deity associated with warriors, wealth, and protection — a dedication found nowhere else on the entire route. That singularity gives Kichijō-ji a unique character within the circuit, a brief departure from the recurring rotation of Kannon, Yakushi, Amida, and Dainichi seen at most other temples. There's a martial, protective undertone to Kichijō-ji that comes through in its imagery — Bishamonten is typically depicted in armor, a stark visual contrast to the serene bodhisattvas and Buddhas dominating most of the route's iconography. The temple's small scale doesn't diminish this distinctiveness; if anything, the unexpected dedication makes Kichijō-ji feel like a deliberate outlier within the otherwise repeating patterns of the pilgrimage. Sixty-three temples in, a stop like this offers a small jolt of novelty within a route that, by this point, has settled into familiar rhythms and recurring dedications — a reminder that even this late in the circuit, the 88 temples still hold surprises for attentive pilgrims. From Kichijō-ji, the route continues toward Temple 64, Maegami-ji, further along the Saijō plain. #japan #88templepilgrimage #shikoku #longdistance #walking

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Tuesday 08 September 2026 06:59:51 GMT