Cultural Assets－Temples and Shrines

Negoro-ji Temple, the head temple of the Shingi Shingon school of esoteric Buddhism, was founded by Kakuban Shonin (known posthumously as Kogyo Daishi), who is considered to have revived the Shingon sect in the 12th century. Considering its origin as Bufuku-ji, which was designated the 34th stop on the Katsuragi pilgrimage, the temple has deep connections to Katsuragi Shugen. The temple’s expansive precincts are dotted with valuable cultural assets, including the Gyoja-do, which enshrines En no Gyoja (given the posthumous title Jinben Daibosatsu); Daito Pagoda, a National Treasure and Japan’s largest wooden two-story pagoda; and the Fudo-do, which enshrines a statue of the guardian Sangoku-ichi no Kirimomi Fudoson, a Buddhist deity that sacrificed himself to save Kakuban Shonin.