Myojoin Temple

About Myojoin Temple

Myojo-in Temple, with its associated mountain name Mount Gekko, is of religious importance with ties to the Shingon Omuro sect and the veneration of the principal image, the Thousand-Armed Kannon. The temple was historically connected to Mouri Terumoto’s mother, Myojuin. It originally belonged to the Rinzai Zen tradition but was converted to the Shingon sect following the Mouri clan’s move to Choshu.

The temple gained historical prominence when Asano Tsunanaga, the fourth lord of the Hiroshima Domain, placed the memorial tablets of the domain’s founder and his wife within its grounds. The Naojin Shrine was established on the temple’s western perimeter during the tenure of the ninth lord, Asano Yoshitaka.

Of particular note are the wooden statues of the Akou gishi, or the 47 Ronin, which symbolize loyalty and survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. These statues are displayed in the main hall’s inner sanctuary. Myojo-in Temple was rebuilt after its destruction in the atomic bombing, becoming a symbol of the city’s resilience.

The temple’s ginkgo tree, a survivor of the atomic blast, stands as a natural monument. Myojo-in Temple is also an important site for pilgrims as the 62nd temple in the Hiroshima New Shikoku Pilgrimage and the 11th sacred site in the Chugoku Jizo Pilgrimage.

Visitors to Hiroshima can experience a connection to Japanese cultural heritage through Myojo-in Temple. The Akou gishi statues provide historical context, and the nearby Hiroshima Toshogu Shrine and Naojin Shrine add to the area’s cultural significance. The temple’s role in the city’s narrative of perseverance and cultural preservation is noteworthy.