Dojo-ji

Dojo-ji was founded in 701 and is the oldest temple in Wakayama, set on a wooded rise above the Hidaka River. It is best known through the legend of Anchin and Kiyohime, in which a scorned woman transforms into a serpent and, in her fury, melts a monk hidden beneath the temple bell, a tale retold in Noh and kabuki as 'Dojoji'. Monks entertain visitors with e-toki, a fast, humorous picture-storytelling of the legend, and the treasure hall displays fine Heian-period Buddhist statues, several designated national treasures. The long stone staircase and the cherry trees that frame it make the approach a noted spring sight.