Fujiidera: The Temple Is Said to Have Been Named after Kōbō Daishi Planted Wisteria Flowers Here.

• Name: Kongō-zan Fujiidera
• Main Deity: Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha)
• Goeika (Pilgrimage Song):
• At Fujiidera, beyond compare in color and fragrance,
• The waves of ultimate truth never cease to flow.

Access From Temple No. 10 (Kirihata-ji):

• On Foot: Go down the approach road and continue south. Pass through the Hachiman settlement and by Awashima Shrine. Cross the Ōnojima Bridge over a tributary of the Yoshino River, then the Kawashima Bridge over the main stream. Continue to Prefectural Route 240, then turn right at the Tanakaya curve mirror and follow the road signs as the road winds along. Distance: about 9.2 km, approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.
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• By Car: Return toward Temple No. 9, Hōrin-ji, then cross the Awa-Chūō Bridge and head toward Kamojima. Parking is available in front of the temple gate at Fujiya Ryokan (paid). Distance: about 12 km, approximately 30 minutes.
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• Public Transport: None available for this section.

Wisteria Flowers Coloring the Temple Grounds

Fujiidera stands deep in a valley surrounded by low mountains on three sides. Passing through the time-worn Niōmon Gate filled with a sacred atmosphere, the first thing visitors see is a large wisteria trellis. The temple’s name itself derives from these ancient wisteria trees, which are also praised in its temple verse.
In early summer, purple noda-fuji and reddish-purple renge-fuji bloom, filling the temple grounds with color.

According to tradition, after performing 17 days of ascetic practice, Kōbō Daishi carved a statue of Yakushi Nyorai and planted a young wisteria tree in front of the hall enshrining it.

The Oldest Buddhist Statue on the Shikoku Pilgrimage

Later, the temple flourished as a center of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism but was burned down during the Tenshō era (1573–1592) in the warfare led by Chōsokabe Motochika. It was later revived as a Rinzai sect temple. In 1832 (Tenpō 3), the temple again suffered fire damage, yet its principal image—the seated statue of Yakushi Nyorai—miraculously survived every disaster. An inscription inside the statue indicates it was created in 1148 (Kyūan 4). Designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, it is regarded as the oldest Buddhist statue among the 88 temples of Shikoku. The statue is thought to have originally been Shaka Nyorai (the historical Buddha). However, tradition holds that the statue carved by Kōbō Daishi was of Yakushi Nyorai, so it was later modified to depict Yakushi Nyorai holding a medicine jar in the left hand. This makes it a rare statue with a unique history. It is a hidden Buddha (hibutsu) and cannot be viewed by the public.

Dynamic Ceiling Painting of the Dragon

When visiting the Main Hall, be sure to look up at the ceiling.
Although visitors cannot enter the hall, from the entrance one can look up to see the magnificent dragon painting covering the entire ceiling of the outer sanctuary.

Inside the inner sanctuary, one can also worship the standing statues of the two attendant bodhisattvas, Nikkō and Gakkō, flanking the seated Yakushi Nyorai.

DATA

Address: 1525 Iio, Kamojima-chō, Yoshinogawa City, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan
Phone: 0883-24-2384
Access: 10 minutes by car (45 minutes on foot) from JR Kamojima Station on the Tokushima Line
Parking: Nearby private parking available (paid)
Lodging: None

Your Pilgrimage, Your Art

Completing the Shikoku Pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime journey—but what if you could preserve it in a form that lasts forever?

Many pilgrims collect red stamps and calligraphy from each temple on a special silk scroll called a nōkyōjiku.

This sacred record of your path can be transformed into a kakejiku—a traditional Japanese hanging scroll—not only preserving the memories, but turning them into a work of cultural and spiritual art.

It’s more than a souvenir—it’s a way to honor your journey, your prayers, and your growth.

To learn more about how a nōkyōjiku becomes a kakejiku, and what makes this transformation so meaningful, please refer the below link.