Cultural Assets－Other

Of the 48 waterfalls in the mountains of Shipporyu-ji Temple, seven of them were named to evoke seven treasures such as gold and silver as a way to laud the miraculous success of Emperor Junna’s prayers for rain during a drought in the early 9th century. These seven falls figure into the temple’s name, which literally means “temple of seven treasured waterfalls.” The seven waterfalls (Ryokai no Taki, To no Taki, Benten no Taki, Nunobiki no Taki, Kozuki no Taki, Gyoja no Taki, and Senju no Taki) were later worshiped by the great monk Kukai as Shichifukujin (the Seven Lucky Gods). They are also known as the “holy waterfalls of Shichifukujin and Fudo.” Devout followers of all ages, both men and women, still gather at Gyoja no Taki to meditate while sitting under the waterfall, where En no Gyoja and Kukai did the same thing.