Myoshinji Temple is a historic Buddhist nunnery in Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture. Belonging to the Shingon school of Japanese Buddhism, the temple has a deep connection with the history and religious traditions of Kumano.
Located close to Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine and Kamikura Shrine, Myoshinji played an important role in supporting the religious culture of the region for centuries. It is particularly associated with Aizen Myoo, the Buddhist deity regarded as the principal Buddhist counterpart of the deity worshipped at Kamikura Shrine.
Although the temple is quiet and understated today, its history reflects the remarkable spiritual culture of Kumano, including pilgrimage, mountain asceticism, the historical blending of Buddhism and Shinto, and the activities of Buddhist nuns and other female religious practitioners.
For travelers interested in understanding the deeper history of Kumano beyond its famous shrines and pilgrimage routes, Myoshinji is a fascinating place to visit.
According to temple tradition, Myoshinji was founded during the early Heian period by Ennin, one of the most influential monks of Japanese Buddhism and a prominent figure in the Tendai school.
A stone monument commemorating the Lotus Sutra and bearing the inscription “Established by Ennin” remains within the temple grounds, providing a reminder of the site’s long religious history.
Temple records state that a nun named Eishin-ni entered the temple in 1108, an event regarded as an important milestone in the temple’s development as a place of practice and worship for women.
During the late Heian period, Emperor Shirakawa is also said to have ordered the construction of buildings at the temple during one of his pilgrimages to Kumano.
According to tradition, one of the female attendants who accompanied the emperor chose not to return to Kyoto. Instead, she became a Buddhist nun and remained in Kumano. Taking the religious name Myoshin-ni, she devoted herself to the revival and development of the temple and later came to be remembered as one of its principal reviving figures.
During the medieval period, Myoshinji became an important center of the Kamikura Hongwan, an organization responsible for supporting the maintenance and restoration of Kamikura Shrine.
The term hongwan refers to a religious organization or institution that could raise funds and organize contributions for the construction, repair, and maintenance of temples and shrines. Such activities were especially important in medieval Japan, when religious institutions depended heavily on donations and pilgrimage networks.
During the Kamakura period, the famous Buddhist monk Kakushin, also known as Hoto Kokushi, is traditionally said to have lived at Myoshinji together with his mother.
Kakushin was an important figure in the development of the Hottō school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism and is also associated with networks of mountain ascetics and Kumano bikuni, female religious practitioners who traveled widely while spreading religious teachings and collecting donations.
Myoshinji consequently became an important base for women involved in the religious traditions of Kumano.
Among the most remarkable figures associated with the temple were Myojun-ni and Yuchin-ni, who played an important role in the revival of Kamikura Shrine after it had fallen into disrepair during periods of warfare.
They traveled across different parts of Japan, appealing to people for donations to support the reconstruction of the shrine.
Their efforts are especially significant because they demonstrate the important role women could play in religious networks and community organization in medieval Japan. Traveling long distances and gathering financial support, these women helped preserve one of the most important sacred sites in Kumano.
Myoshinji is also essential for understanding the history of Shinbutsu-shugo, the historical blending of Shinto and Buddhism.
For many centuries in Japan, kami and Buddhist deities were not regarded as completely separate religious beings. Shrines and temples often formed interconnected religious complexes, and Buddhist temples could manage or support Shinto shrines.
Myoshinji’s role in worship associated with Kamikura Shrine is a particularly clear example of this tradition. Aizen Myoo, regarded as the Buddhist counterpart of the deity enshrined at Kamikura, was worshipped at the temple.
However, the situation changed dramatically during the Meiji period, when the government introduced policies requiring the separation of Shinto and Buddhism.
Following these changes, the final resident abbess, Teiho-ni, returned to secular life. The temple eventually became unoccupied and is now under the management of Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine.
Despite these historical changes, Myoshinji remains an important cultural site for understanding the religious traditions that once connected temples, shrines, pilgrimage, and mountain worship throughout Kumano.
Myoshinji also has a close connection with the spectacular Oto Matsuri, a traditional fire festival held at Kamikura Shrine every year on February 6.
During the festival, men dressed in white clothing and wearing thick ropes around their bodies carry flaming torches up Kamikurayama. After gathering at the shrine, they race down the steep stone steps of the mountain in a dramatic procession of fire and light.
The event is often described as one of Japan’s oldest fire festivals and is one of the most famous traditional events in Shingu.
Participants known as noboriko traditionally visit Myoshinji before climbing Kamikurayama. They undergo a period of ritual purification known as saikai, preparing themselves physically and spiritually for the festival.
This connection demonstrates how Myoshinji has continued to support the religious and ceremonial traditions of Kumano even after the formal separation of temples and shrines.
Myoshinji preserves several historically valuable objects, including a wooden bowl designated as a Cultural Property of Wakayama Prefecture.
According to tradition, the bowl was donated by Kakushin, Hoto Kokushi, when he climbed Mount Kamikura. It is believed to have been used as a bowl for receiving alms during religious practice.
The bowl has a simple wooden body covered with black lacquer. Its restrained appearance reflects the practical character of Buddhist religious objects while also providing a tangible connection with medieval religious life.
A bamboo staff traditionally said to have belonged to Kakushin also survives, providing another reminder of the history of Buddhist practice and mountain asceticism in Kumano.
Myoshinji is not a grand tourist temple filled with elaborate buildings or large crowds. Its appeal lies instead in the quiet atmosphere and the layers of history preserved within the site.
Walking through the temple grounds, visitors can reflect on the centuries when pilgrims traveled to Kumano, mountain ascetics practiced in the surrounding sacred landscapes, and Buddhist nuns worked to preserve important shrines and religious traditions.
The temple is particularly interesting for visitors who want to look beyond the most famous landmarks and understand how Kumano’s spiritual culture developed over time.
Because Kamikura Shrine and Kumano Hayatama Taisha are located nearby, Myoshinji can easily be included in a walking tour of Shingu’s historic religious sites.
Visiting these places together reveals the complex relationship between Buddhism, Shinto, pilgrimage, mountain worship, and local communities that shaped the spiritual identity of Kumano.
Myoshinji Temple offers a different perspective on the famous spiritual landscape of Kumano. While the grand shrines of the Kumano Sanzan attract visitors from around the world, quieter places such as Myoshinji help reveal the people and institutions that supported these sacred traditions behind the scenes.
The temple’s history encompasses the legendary founding associated with Ennin, the activities of medieval female religious practitioners, the restoration of Kamikura Shrine, the tradition of Shinbutsu-shugo, and the continuing cultural connection with the Oto Matsuri.
For travelers interested in Japanese religious history, women’s roles in medieval religious communities, or the deeper meaning of the Kumano pilgrimage tradition, Myoshinji provides an especially rewarding stop.
Access: Approximately a 15-minute walk from JR Shingu Station.
Visitors can also take a local bus operated by Kumano Kotsu or Nara Kotsu and get off at the Saibansho-mae bus stop.
Myoshinji is an ideal place to include in a historical walking tour of Shingu. After visiting the temple, travelers can continue to Kamikura Shrine and Kumano Hayatama Taisha, gaining a deeper appreciation of the spiritual traditions that have shaped Kumano for more than a thousand years.