Overview
Bitchū Kokubun-ji is a temple of the Omuro branch of Shingon Buddhism in Sōja, Okayama Prefecture, with the sango (mountain name) Nisshōzan and a statue of Yakushi Nyorai as its main image. It is regarded as the successor to the provincial temple of Bitchū Province, one of the kokubun-ji established across Japan by decree of Emperor Shōmu during the Nara period. The five-storied pagoda rising amid farmland is a symbol of the Kibiji area.
Highlights
- ●A five-storied pagoda rising amid rural farmland
- ●An Omuro-branch Shingon temple with Yakushi Nyorai as its main image
- ●The ruins of Bitchū Kokubun-ji, a National Historic Site
- ●The ruins of the associated provincial nunnery, also a National Historic Site
History
During the Nara period, Emperor Shōmu decreed the founding of provincial temples throughout Japan to promote Buddhism and standardize rule over the provinces. Bitchū Kokubun-ji is considered the successor to the temple of Bitchū Province. The ruins of the original Bitchū Kokubun-ji were designated a National Historic Site in 1968, while the ruins of the associated provincial nunnery, the Bitchū Kokubun-niji, were designated earlier, in 1922.
Access
The temple stands in the city of Sōja, Okayama Prefecture, with the surrounding area maintained as a natural park.
Best season
The pagoda set against the surrounding farmland can be enjoyed throughout the year, paired with a walk in the vicinity.
Map
34.6664, 133.7822 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Take in the five-storied pagoda rising amid the farmland
- 2Visit the present Omuro-branch Shingon temple
- 3Explore the ruins of Bitchū Kokubun-ji, a National Historic Site
- 4Visit the ruins of the associated provincial nunnery
Did you know?
💡 Enshrining Yakushi Nyorai, the temple carries on the lineage of the kokubun-ji that began with Emperor Shōmu's decree.
Nearby spots
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