Temple Name
Byodoji
The name comes from the vow to relieve people's suffering equally. The name itself points directly to the temple's spiritual center.
Temple Guide
About Byodoji
Byodoji is the 22nd temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, founded by Kobo Daishi Kukai in 814 and dedicated to healing the suffering of body and mind without distinction.
- Pilgrimage
- Shikoku Temple No. 22
- School
- Koyasan Shingon
- Principal Image
- Yakushi Nyorai
- Address
- 177 Akiyama, Aratano-cho, Anan
- Main Hall
- 06:00-17:00
- Admission
- Free
Contents
Essence
A temple shaped by a vow to heal suffering
Its founding legend, devotion to Yakushi Nyorai, and life as a rural pilgrimage temple still form one continuous whole.
To heal the illnesses of body and mind equally and without bias
Tradition says Kobo Daishi Kukai practiced here, perceived the form of Yakushi Nyorai, and enshrined that image as the temple's principal Buddha. The temple name Byodoji is tied to the vow to relieve suffering equally.
Today Byodoji welcomes pilgrims from Japan and abroad as the twenty-second stop on the Shikoku pilgrimage, while also serving local parishioners and the everyday rhythm of prayer in Aratano.
Yakushi Nyorai is especially revered here for prayers for healing, protection from illness, and strength in the legs and lower body. The sacred spring linked to Kobo Daishi still flows in the precincts.
Names
The temple's names preserve its founding story
The temple name, mountain name, and temple appellations each carry a piece of Byodoji's prayer and place-memory.
Mountain Name
Hakusuizan
The sacred spring was said to have first flowed milky white, leaving the mountain name 'White Water Mountain' and the continuing memory of Kobo's healing water.
Temple Appellations
Io-in and Nikko-in
Io-in refers to Yakushi as the Healing King, while Nikko-in recalls traditions connected to radiant light and Eleven-faced Kannon. Multiple strands of faith overlap within Byodoji.
Today
A pilgrimage temple and a local temple at once
Byodoji continues to welcome pilgrims while also receiving the prayers of the local community.
People come here for many reasons: while walking the Shikoku route, to pray for healing and protection, to deepen a parish connection, or simply to sit quietly before the principal image.
In recent years the temple has also made prayer available online through live streaming and remote applications, so that distance, illness, or daily circumstances do not cut people off from worship.
Even with more than twelve centuries of history behind it, Byodoji keeps trying to respond to the person who is praying now. These guide pages are meant to be an easy doorway into that encounter.
Next Pages
Pages to grasp the whole picture of Byodoji
These pages cover the history, principal image, visiting, and access introduced above in more depth.
Access
Location, main routes, and what to expect on arrival.
Read moreVisiting Guide
Opening hours, stamp office guidance, visiting flow, and prayer information.
Read moreHistory of Byodoji
A fuller account of the temple's founding and rebuilding across the centuries.
Read moreYakushi Nyorai
Learn more about the principal image and the prayers centered on it.
Read moreThe Hakoguruma Story
A Byodoji miracle story associated with recovery and strength in the legs.
Read moreContact
Use the contact form for group visits, questions, or first-time guidance.
Read more