Senkōji Temple

This historic temple of the Kōyasan Shingon school is said to have begun Approx. 1,400 years ago, when Prince Shōtoku built a Buddhist hall enshrining Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha). The town grew from this area and is also said to be the birthplace of “Hirano.” Rebuilt in 1661, the Main Hall is known as one of Osaka Prefecture’s most historic wooden structures. As the 39th temple of the Settsu 88 Sacred Sites and the 7th temple of the Osaka 13 Buddhas pilgrimage, it attracts many worshippers.

It’s also well known as a unique temple where you can experience hell and paradise while still in this world. After paying your respects to the main deity and buying a “Hell Pass,” head to the “Hell Hall” and try the “Hell Degree / Paradise Degree Check,” a fortune-telling experience that predicts whether you’ll go to hell or paradise in the future. You can enjoy a variety of hell-themed experiences, such as the “stone where you can hear the sound of hell’s cauldron” and a “stone-stacking experience at Sai no Kawara.” There are also photogenic spots, including “tying a karmic bond with the Buddha using a red string” and “Hotoke no Kuni,” where you meditate while surrounded by 151 Buddha statues and sit before a stained-glass mandala.

There’s even more to see, like a glass Reclining Buddha and the Ichigan Fudōson floating in a sea of clouds. There are also easy experiences like mini sutra copying and mini Buddha image copying, so be sure to give them a try.