西光院

Overview

Saiko-in is a temple of the Shingi Shingon school, standing in Nakagawa in Adachi Ward, Tokyo. Set in a corner of the shitamachi (old downtown) close to the waters of the Arakawa and Nakagawa rivers, it has long been woven into the local pilgrimage route as the 10th sacred site of the Shin-Shikoku Shikaryo Eighty-Eight Sacred Places. A place of esoteric Buddhist prayer, it nonetheless keeps an unpretentious, neighborly warmth where anyone can pause and join their hands, and many visitors stop here as a waypoint on the pilgrim circuit.

Highlights

• ●Its role as the 10th site of the Shin-Shikoku Shikaryo Eighty-Eight Sacred Places
• ●A place of prayer in the Shingi Shingon school stemming from Kakuban
• ●The calm downtown mood held between the Arakawa and Nakagawa rivers
• ●An approachable, neighborly warmth where anyone can offer a prayer

History

As a Shingi Shingon temple, Saiko-in has conveyed the teachings of esoteric Buddhism to its community. Shingi Shingon is a branch of Shingon Buddhism that traces its doctrine back to the monk Kakuban (Kogyo Daishi). The temple is designated the 10th site of the Shin-Shikoku Shikaryo Eighty-Eight Sacred Places, a pilgrimage that recreates the famous Shikoku circuit in the Kanto region, and it has gathered the faith of the people as one of its stops. For the founding date and principal image, please consult official information.

Map

35.7704, 139.8551 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Bow at the gate and confirm that this is the 10th pilgrimage site
2. 2Pay respects at the main hall and touch the prayer of esoteric Buddhism
3. 3Check whether sutra-copying or goshuin seals are offered and keep a record of your pilgrimage
4. 4Extend the walk to nearby sacred sites or a riverside stroll along the Nakagawa

Did you know?

💡 A shin-Shikoku (New Shikoku) is a set of sacred sites laid out locally in imitation of the eighty-eight temples of Shikoku, created for people who could not make the long journey to Shikoku itself. It is fun to use the number ten as a cue and link the surrounding sites into a walking route.

Nearby spots