# Jison-in

> A small Shingon temple by the Kinokawa river where, by tradition, Kukai's mother lived out her life because women were barred from Koyasan. Women still leave breast-shaped ema here. The 180th stone of the Koyasan Choishi-michi stands on the steps up to Niu Kanshofu Shrine just above it, and the temple is one of the component parts of the Kii Mountain Range World Heritage property. Free; 20 minutes on foot from Kudoyama Station.

- Prefecture: Wakayama
- Type: Temple
- Address: Kudoyama, Wakayama, Japan
- Official site: https://jison-in.org/

Jison-in is where the climb to Koyasan used to start, and for many walkers it still does. The temple traces itself to 816, when Kukai set up an office here at the foot of the mountain to run the monastery's affairs, lodge travellers and spend the winter away from the snow. The original compound stood further north and was washed away by a Kinokawa flood in 1540; the Mirokudo hall had already been moved to the present site and survived.

The story people come for is about Kukai's mother, whom the temple calls Tamayori Gozen. She travelled from Zentsu-ji in Shikoku to see the mountain her son had opened, but women were barred from Koyasan, so she stayed here until she died. Local tradition says Kukai came down to visit her nine times a month, and that is one explanation of the name Kudoyama, 'nine times'. Because of her the temple is known as the Women's Koya, and women still hang breast-shaped ema, many of them hand-made, praying for children, safe births, breastfeeding and recovery from breast cancer. It is moving to see, and not something you find at other temples.

The Mirokudo, a low hall with a cypress-bark roof, is an Important Cultural Property and the part of the temple listed in 2004 as a component of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. Inside is a seated Miroku carved from a single block of cypress, a National Treasure with an ink inscription dated 892. It is shown only once every 21 years, so you will almost certainly see the closed doors. The grounds are small: a two-storey pagoda rebuilt in the 1620s to 1640s, a row of about 100 jizo, a thick earthen wall running about 250 metres round three sides.

The stone steps behind the main gate lead up to Niu Kanshofu Shrine, also part of the World Heritage listing, and on the way you pass the 180th choishi, the first marker of the Koyasan Choishi-michi. From here the stones count down to the Konpon Daito of the Danjo Garan, about 22 km uphill. Even if you are not walking the whole path, the first hour up through persimmon orchards to the viewpoint over the Kinokawa plain is worth doing. Michi-no-Eki Kaki-no-Sato Kudoyama, with its persimmon soft serve, is a short drive away.

## FAQ

### Why do people leave breast-shaped ema at Jison-in?

Because of Kukai's mother, who by tradition lived here after being refused entry to Koyasan, which was closed to women. The temple became a place of prayer for women, and visitors leave breast-shaped ema asking for children, a safe birth, breastfeeding or recovery from breast cancer. You can buy one at the temple office and make it up yourself.

### Can I see the National Treasure Miroku statue?

Almost certainly not. The seated Miroku, with an ink inscription dated 892, is kept in the Mirokudo and shown only once every 21 years. You can pray in front of the hall, which is itself an Important Cultural Property and part of the World Heritage listing.

### Where does the Choishi-michi start?

At Jison-in. The 180th choishi, the first of the stone markers, stands on the steps between the temple and Niu Kanshofu Shrine just above it. From there the numbers count down every 109 metres to the Konpon Daito on Koyasan, about 22 km away. Allow six to seven hours for the full walk.

### Is Jison-in worth a visit if I am not hiking?

Yes, if you have an hour or two on the way to or from Koyasan. Kudoyama is a stop on the same Nankai line, the temple is 20 minutes' walk from the station, and with Niu Kanshofu Shrine above it you see two World Heritage components without any climbing beyond a flight of steps. There is little English on site.

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Source: Jison-in — Japan Voyage