Cultural Assets－Sutra Mounds

Sutra mound #25. This mound is located on the grounds of Koki-ji Temple, which was probably founded by En no Gyoja during Emperor Monmu’s reign (697 to 707 AD). At the base of a giant boulder is a mini stone shrine dedicated to Fudo Myo-o, a wrathful guardian deity. The temple was originally called Koge-ji, but it was renamed Koki-ji after the great Buddhist monk Kukai trained here and had a vision of the Koki-toku-o Bosatsu deity. The kondo (main hall) houses the principal objects of worship—statues of Godai Myo-o (“Five Great Wisdom Kings”). The kodo (lecture hall) houses a wooden, seated statue of goddess Benzaiten. This is an Important Cultural Property and it’s usually concealed from public view. The hall also houses a statue of En no Gyoja and one of Buddhist monk Shobo (Rigen-taishi). In the mountains to the west of the temple is Iwafune-daijinja Shrine, a former tutelary shrine of the temple.