Tokushima

Yakuoji: Temple 23 of Pilgrimage

Escape misfortune by dropping coins on these stairs

Naoko Takeuchi Oct 03, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>Onna Yaku-Zaka (Women's Yaku-Zaka) with 33 steps</p>

<p>Pilgrims have Kongotsue (walking sticks) thought to be incarnation of the famous priest Kukai</p>

<p>Danjyo Yaku-Zaka (Men's and Women's Yaku-Zaka) with 61 steps</p>

<p>Dropped coins on Danjyo Yaku-Zaka</p>

<p>Yugitou (Red Tower) is easy to see, even at a great distance.</p>

<p>The color of the Yufitou (Red Tower) looks attractive with the young maple leaves</p>

Yakuoji is No.23 Temple of Shikoku Pilgrimage and known as a temple for escaping misfortune.

This temple is located on the side of a mountain and has stone stairs named “Yaku-Zaka”. The number of the steps of the stone stairs is the same as the number of “Yaku-Doshi” which is the years in one's life that are unlucky. That is 42 for man and 33 for woman.

People come to this temple with many coins and drop them on each step of the stone stairs, like how they dropped the bread in “Hansel and Gretel”.

I am now 32 years old (33 years old according to the East Asian age reckoning) and this year is “Yaku-Doshi” for woman. So, I too dropped coins on “Yaku-Zaka” to escape misfortune and prayed for health and happiness.

Also: If you do not want to be unlucky, do not pick up any of coins on the stone stairs!

Shikoku Pilgrimage

Naoko Takeuchi @naoko.takeuchi

I was born in Oita prefecture, Kyushu, and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, Shikoku. My sister gave me my first camera and I have been taking pictures since then. Photographs have the power to tell stories, remind us of precious experiences, and motivate people to act. That’s why I love photog...