Konsenji and Dainichi-ji Temples
Dear reader, I hope you are not too bored by all these temples. But I have to record them for posterity.
The 3rd temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage is Konsen-ji. It was built and named Konsenji by Gyoki by order of Emperor Shomu (reigned 724-749). At that time, the principal image of the temple was a 91 cm. tall statue of Shaka Nyorai (the Historical Buddha). Gyoki placed statues of Amida Nyorai (the Buddha of Limitless Light and Life) and Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha) on either side of this statue when he founded the temple.
During the Konin period (810-824), Kobo Daishi dug a well for the villagers who were suffering from drought. The water gushed out and the well became known as The Golden Well that Brings Long Life, so the name of the temple was changed to Konsenji (Golden Well Temple). When Emperor Kameyama (reigned 1259-74) became a Buddhist priest, he venerated Kobo Daishi. The emperor made pilgrimages to sacred sites around Japan and stayed for some time at Konsenji.
The 4th temple is Dainichi-ji Temple, located in the northwestern part of Itano Town, which is in northeastern part of Tokushima Prefecture.
The temple is at the foot of the Asan mountain range, which is on the border between Tokushima and Kagawa Prefectures.
The layout of the temple buildings faces south on the gentle slope of a mountain ridge at a height of around 70 meters, and overlooks the Kurotani-gawa River, which flows to the south from Asan mountain range.
It is said that Kobo-Daishi (Kukai) felt the presence of Dainichi Nyorai at this place in 815, and he carved the statue of Dainichi Nyorai as the principal image of the temple. The temple is also named after this Buddha.
The size of the statue is said to be about 5.5cm, and Kobo-Daishi prayed three times after every stroke of his blade when he carved the statue (it is ordinarily kept hidden and never unveiled).
This area is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and called “Kuro-dani,” (literally meaning “black valley”). The temple itself had also been called “Kurodani-ji” once.