Koonji no Okunoin Temple

A site for ascetic waterfall training in Saijo

Anonymous Jul 26, 2013 - 1 min read

Often these lonely statues stand as silent guardians; a secret hollow seen by few but walking pilgrims

The water, being fed from a hose, is free of falling rocks which is the usual problem with ascetic training under waterfalls

A door on Ko-onji's little Oku-no-in. You can collect a stamp here as well, since it's an auxillary/associated temple of the Shikoku 88 temples.

You can even change your clothes in privacy before going under the falls.

My friend Chuyan trying to see how long he can stay under. Pre-summer water temperatures are very cold.

During the colder times of the year, it's near impossible to stay under for even 30 seconds before getting the ultimate brain freeze.

In the summer time, it's regular to see families, monks, initiates, hobbyists, or those who are about to get married or find new employment standing under the stream. 30 minutes is the appropriate time!

Koonji no Okunoin is a temple located in Saijo, Ehime Prefecture. It's affiliated with No.61 of the 88 Shikoku Pilgrimage temples, Koonji. Here, you can try sitting underneath a small waterfall for 30 minutes, just as monks throughout history have done for ascetic training. It also makes a great picture location!

From Ko-onji, just head south towards the mountains, follow the river southwards. There is a sign visible from route 11. Once you arrive, the parking lot is located directly in front of the rather smaller sized temple. If you are a pilgrim yourself, you can collect an additional stamp here. From the parking lot, its a short walk to the location. The site itself is visible via the walking path between temples 60 and 61 (Yokomineji and Koonji). Try and keep the water raining down on you for over 30 minutes!!

Anonymous @bret.de.colebi__archived

I am a Seattle native, settled here on Shikoku these last few years. Love Japanese food, hiking, camping, swimming, and taking photos of this beautiful corner of the world!