Originally, to get to Kōyasan, pilgrims needed to hike through the long approach called Kōyasan Chōishi-michi (高野山町石道), starting from the foot of the mountain. The starting point of that pilgrimage route is the Jison-in Temple (慈尊院). Established as the “front door” of Kōyasan by Kōbō Daishi, it was the place where his mother stayed after he founded Kōyasan.
About Jison-in
As women were forbidden to enter the sacred mountain back then, even Kōbō Daishi’s mother couldn’t get a peek at her son’s great work.
Obeying the rule and wanting to make his mother’s heart at peace without worrying about him, it is said that Kōbō Daishi visited his mother nine times during her time at Jison-in. This is also the reason why the area is called Kudoyama.
It is also said that his mother held a deep faith in Maitreya Bodhisattva, the temple’s principal image.
The statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva, currently a National Treasure, is only exhibited to the public once every 21 years. So normally, pilgrims can only worship the Maitreya Bodhisattva on the other side of the worship hall’s wooden doors.
Gon, The Usher of Kōyasan
During the 1980s, something special happened to Jison-in. One day, the stray dog who lived close to the temple started becoming the usher for Kōyasan’s pilgrims. The dog who liked the sound of the bell of Jison-in was a regular visitor of the temple. Since he was always around whenever the bell was knocked, people started calling it “Gon”.
In the beginning, Gon accompanied pilgrims between Kudoyama Station and Jison-in. As time passed, Gon started basing in Jison-in and became the guide dog between Jison-in and Kōyasan. He would depart the temple in the morning and hike through the 20 km approach to Kōyasan’s Daimon Gate. At night, he reappeared at the temple.
As no one had taught Gon to do so, and 1,200 years ago, Kōbō Daishi was led by two dogs when he first founded Kōyasan, pilgrims started to see Gon as the reborn of the dogs who showed Kōbō Daishi the way to the sacred ground.
Gon, unfortunately, is not with us anymore. Loved by pilgrims around the country, Jison-in made a stone statue for him and put it next to Kōbō Daishi’s statue in 2002, the same year that he passed away.
Nyoninkōya (女人高野)
Jison-in is also known as Nyoninkōya. When women were forbidden to enter Kōyasan, Jison-in was the temple closest to Kōyasan that women could visit. This is why it is named Nyoninkōya, with Nyonin meaning women in Japanese.
In 2004, together with several pilgrimage routes and temples, it was registered as a World Heritage Site as a part of the Sacred Sites and pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.
As a popular temple among female pilgrims, Jison-in has become a hotspot for people to pray for female-related wishes. Whether it is child-granting or illness, Jison-in is the temple to go to!
For the ema you write your wishes on, to re-emphasize the type of wishes that the temple specializes in, their wooden plates come with female breasts attached on the back.
The ema you purchase from the temple will have the wooden plate and the breast separate. Otherwise, the bumpy breasts will make it harder for you to write your wishes on the plate. Once you finish writing, enjoy putting everything together and hang it in the designated area (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Jison-in’s Opening Hours and Access Information
- Jison-in is open from 9 am to 5:45 pm.
- From Nankai’s Kudoyama Station (九度山駅), it is a 20-minute walk.
Discover More Attractions in Kudoyama That Relates to Kōyasan and the Famous Samurai: Sanada Yukimura
Niutsuhime Shrine isn’t the only attraction outside the sacred mountain but is related to Kōyasan’s founding. There are a few other temples and shrines located around Kudoyama Station that you would want to visit to complete your pilgrimage to Kōyasan.
Also, Kudoyama is known as a town deeply related to the renowned samurai in the Sengoku period – Sanada Yukimura. Being so proud of the town where the Sanadas spent 14 years, the family’s crest can be seen just about anywhere you go!
For more information, please refer to our article on Kudoyama Town (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Discover Kōyasan, One of Japan’s Most Sacred Mountain
Kudoyama is like the prelude to the center of Japan’s Shingon Buddhism.
To find out more divine places to visit during your time at the sacred mountain, please read our article on Kōyasan. You will also find information on restaurants to enjoy the vegetarian Shōjin Ryōri, as well as temples you can stay overnight!
