Nankobo Temple

Places > Japan > Ehime Prefecture > Imabari Architecture - Building

Nankobo Temple

Photo Credit: Wikipedia user Reggaeman

Nankobo is a Buddhist temple of the Shingon sect, located in Imabari in the Ehime Prefecture.

It is also known as Temple 55 in the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. The pilgrimage has been undertaken for over a millennium, recreating the trip made by Kobo Daishi (774-835), whose quest led to his enlightenment. Traditionally, the temples are visited in order by pilgrims (called henro), with Temple 1 being the first and last stop. Some pilgrims do the route in reverse order for luck. While much of the dangers have lessened with modern convenience, the 1,400km circuit still takes time to complete. Walking the route takes between 30 to 60 days and biking takes 2 to 4 weeks. Modern pilgrims often use modern transportation, which could still take 4 to 5 days.