Onzan-ji, the Eighteenth Temple, stands on a forested hillside and is renowned for its powerful story of familial love. The temple initially barred women, but when Kobo Daishi's mother travelled to see him, he performed a rigorous ritual to lift the ban. In a moving act of devotion, his mother shaved her head so she could enter as a monastic, leading Kobo Daishi to rename the temple "Mother-Nurturing Mountain, Gratitude Temple" in her honour. The temple grounds today commemorate this story. Visitors can see the spot where his mother shaved her head and a tree Kobo Daishi planted to mark the event. The temple's atmosphere is defined by this narrative of gratitude and sacrifice, offering pilgrims a poignant reflection on compassion before they continue their journey.

18. Onzan-ji: Eighteenth Temple of the Sacred Shikoku Pilgrimage in Tokushima, Japan. #kobodaishi #弘法大師 #pilgrimage #お遍路 #tokushimaprefecture #徳島県 #shikokupilgrimage #四国遍路 #japan #発心の道場 #shikoku #onzanji #恩山寺