
is a
Buddhist temple in the town of
Kudoyama
270px, Jison-in temple
is a town located in Ito District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 3,996 in 1770 households and a population density of 91 persons per km². The total area of the town is .
Geogra ...
that marks the entrance to the pilgrimage route of
Koyasan. It is part of the "
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the Kii Peninsula in Japan.
Selection criteria
The locations and paths for this heritage site were based on their historical and modern im ...
"
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
.
The Koyasan complex includes
*
Kongobu-ji, built by
Kūkai
Kūkai (; 27 July 774 – 22 April 835Kūkai was born in 774, the 5th year of the Hōki era; his exact date of birth was designated as the fifteenth day of the sixth month of the Japanese lunar calendar, some 400 years later, by the Shingon s ...
in 816 as the principal stage for esoteric Buddhism on an 800m high mountain basin,
* Jison-in, built as an administrative office to facilitate the construction and management of Kongobu-ji,
*
Niukanshofu Jinja, constructed as a guardian shrine to protect the Niukanshofu estate of Kongobu-ji, and
*
Niutsuhime Jinja, situated in the Amano basin between Kongobu-ji and Jison-in. Closely connected to Koyasan, it enshrines Koya Myōjin who, legend tells, gave land to Kūkai when he choose the compound of Kongobu-ji, and Niu Myōjin, who guided him, and all of them are connected by the pilgrimage route Koyasan Choishimichi.
See also
*
List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures)
In the mid-6th century, the introduction of Buddhism from Korea (Baekje) to Japan resulted in a revival of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist monks, artisans and scholars settled around the capital in Yamato Province (present day Nara Prefecture) and p ...
Sources
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range
{{Authority control
Buddhist temples in Wakayama Prefecture
World Heritage Sites in Japan
Important Cultural Properties of Japan
Historic Sites of Japan
Kōyasan Shingon temples