Daihoji

Daihoji (大宝寺) is the 44th temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage in Shikoku, Japan. Pilgrims travel about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Temple 43 (明石寺) to reach this temple, with a few challenging overpasses along the way. The temple sits in the middle of serene nature, enclosed in dense, tall trees and surrounded by paths filled with ferns and moss-covered stones.

The temple serves as a sister palace to the imperial palace of Emperor Goshirakawa in the Hogen era (1156-58). When the Emperor suffered from a brain disease, a representative was sent to the temple to pray for his health. After his prayer was answered, the Emperor donated large sums of money to the temple, leading to the construction of 48 monastery structures on Mt. Sugo.

Daihoji enshrines a Kanon statue made of copper and gold. It was excavated from the mountains of Daihoji Temple in 1934. The statue was found at the base of a tree that was estimated to be over 1,000 years old, and was covered with around 130 stones with the Lotus Sutra written on each stone. The statue is said to possess the power to heal illnesses and drive evil spirits away.