Suma-dera Temple

Founded in 886, this head temple of the Shingon Suma-dera school has a history of more than 1,100 years. Locally beloved as “Suma no Odaishi-san,” it draws many worshippers on the Kobo Daishi fair days held on the 20th and 21st of every month.

Because the area around the temple was the setting for the Battle of Ichinotani between the Genji and Heike clans, many items and sites connected to the Genpei War still remain here, including the “Aoba no Fue” flute said to have been played by Taira no Kiyomori’s nephew Taira no Atsumori, Atsumori’s burial mound for his severed head, and the pine tree where Minamoto no Yoshitsune is said to have sat. There is plenty to see even for visitors who are not history fans. Among them, the “Genpei Garden,” a dry landscape garden that recreates the duel between Atsumori and the Genji warrior Kumagai Naozane, is a must-see. There are also many stone monuments dedicated to poets and literary figures such as Matsuo Basho and Masaoka Shiki, who visited the temple.

Buildings such as the vermilion three-story pagoda and the inner sanctuary dedicated to Kobo Daishi take on different impressions with the changing seasons, from spring cherry blossoms to autumn leaves. You can enjoy scenery that beautifully reflects Japan’s four seasons. Also worth checking out are the temple grounds’ unique attractions, installed by the head priest with the idea of making it “a fun temple.” It is also fun to look for and explore spots such as a mechanical clock featuring figures connected to the temple, giant prayer beads, and a stone monument that plays music.