Okuno-in at Ishite-ji

The mandala at Okuno-in is a feast of weirdness

Anonymous Mar 17, 2013 - 1 min read

The entrance shows Emma, the god and judge of the Buddhist Hell

Buddha went through a phase of extreme asceticism and nearly died on his path to enlightenment

Inside the mandala sphere. This deity has four faces

The first sight of the statues in the mandala is overwhelming, especially if you're alone. I've seen people take one look and run away

However, once you get used to them, they begin to seem like friendly presences. The figures represent the many followers of Buddha

One of the lions that supports the sphere of the madala building

The now-tarnished gilded ball of the mandala

The grounds of Okuno-in are home to several cats, as well as chickens

A shrine within the grounds appears to be to somebody's mum

The tunnel between Ishite-ji and Okuno-in is an experience in itself

Ishite-ji, Temple No.51 of the Shikoku pilgrimage, is a strange place, but Okuno-in, the temple that stands behind it on the mountain is stranger still. To get to it, you pass through a dark tunnel lined with bizarre statuary. The main feature of the Okuno-in a spaceship-like 'mandala', a giant sphere filled with grotesque carving.

More info

Find out more about Ishiteji Temple.

Anonymous @rod.walters__archived

I was born in Bristol, England, and I came to Japan in 1991 … which means I’ve lived half my life in this island nation on the other side of the world. The theme of my career in Japan has been communication. I started as an English teacher, and moved into translation as I learned Japanese....