Myooin Temple (Hiroshima Prefecture)

This historic Shingon Buddhist temple (Daikakuji branch) is said to have been founded in 807 by Kobo Daishi (Kukai). Its Main Hall and Five-Story Pagoda are designated National Treasures.

The National Treasure Main Hall, built in 1321 during the Kamakura period, is known for its Secchuyo-style architecture, which adds Chinese (Karayō) elements to traditional Japanese (Wayō) design. It is the oldest among similar structures around the Seto Inland Sea. The Five-Story Pagoda, also a National Treasure, was built in 1348 during the Nanboku-cho period and is the fifth-oldest pagoda designated as a National Treasure in Japan. The mandala paintings once kept inside were presented to the Imperial Household in the Meiji era and are now held by the Tokyo National Museum. The principal image, a wooden standing statue of the Eleven-Headed Kannon (a National Important Cultural Property), dates to the early Heian period. The grounds also feature many buildings and Buddhist statues, such as the Goma Hall and the main gate, with numerous items designated as important cultural properties by the prefecture and city.

Spring and fall, when the grounds are colored by cherry blossoms and autumn foliage, are especially popular seasons to visit. Two Edo-period gardens are also worth seeing, with seasonal blooms such as sarasōju, satsuki azaleas, and magnolias.