Place of worship • 1808 Higashiōzu, Ozu, Ehime 795-0064, Japan
A historical article reflecting on the Hachikyo-kyo 8th-place, Tokoyagashi.
In Ozu City, Higashi-Ozu, where a peaceful river surface extends, stands Eitoku-ji, Tokoyagashi, filled with the legend of Kobo Daishi Kukai. The great master, in his pilgrimage in Shikoku, spent a night here, hence the name "Tokoyagashi." It was just one night, but it is said to have felt as long as ten nights due to the compassion he showed to troubled people.
The main hall built along the river is currently being reconstructed after the damage from the heavy rain in western Japan. Despite being in a bustling location near the highway interchange, a serene atmosphere pervades the precincts. Under the bridge, you can even see the dark figures of carp, allowing one to imagine the night that the great master spent here.
Those on the pilgrimage to the 88 sacred sites in Shikoku often pass through this place. The story of Tokoyagashi, which became the name based on a single night's event and has been handed down for a long time, poses a question about the meaning of life to the people walking along the approach. It is an attractive spiritual place that prompts people to reconsider the meaning of life.
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