Ehime Prefecture is emerging as Japan’s best-kept secret spot for thrill-seekers, adventure enthusiasts, and outdoor lovers. From rugged mountain hikes to forest bathing and hidden cultural gems, Ehime offers travellers a chance to scratch below the surface and uncover experiences off the beaten path. Here’s a roundup of some of the top spots:
Although a country regarded for its big cities and vibrant urban culture, Japan is also a country steeped in spiritual traditions. From encouraging a sense of connection and engagement to the natural world, to time-honoured belief systems and techniques for promoting your inner wellness, Ehime Prefecture offers many experiences that are sure to send you home feeling enlightened and energised. Here are some of the best spiritual experiences in Ehime to add to your trip itinerary.
Soothe your mind with a Zen meditation experience at Nyohoji Temple
Located in Ozu City, Nyohoji Temple has a long-standing history of Zen practice and is the perfect place for visitors to experience an authentic connection with Japanese spirituality. Featuring traditional Japanese architecture, the temple comprises a main hall, a beautifully manicured pond and fountain garden, and Buddha Hall (among other small buildings and monuments) set in serene and spacious grounds surrounded by lush, green foliage.
In this harmonious natural setting, you can embrace the art of Zazen (seated meditation) – guided by one of the temple’s monks who will teach you all the core principles from the perfect posture and breathing techniques to strategies to calm the mind. Whether you are looking for a moment of quiet reflection for yourself, or are visiting as a family or group, Zen meditation experiences at Nyohoji Temple are accessible to people with all levels of experiences and can accommodate individual and group sessions.
Foodie delights at Ishiteji Temple
Ishiteji Temple in Matsuyama City is the 51st temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage route and is a must-see destination for its spiritual significance and revered cultural properties. Boasting a one-star rating in the Michelin Guide, the temple is home to six properties of cultural significance including the awe-inspiring Niomon Gate, built in 1318 and designated a national treasure, the majestic three-story pagoda, the main hall, and the historic bell tower.
The temple offers other intriguing attractions including the Kishimojin, a revered goddess of childbirth, a treasure museum, a mantra cave, and an inner sanctuary. Incredible food is also part of what makes a visit to Ishiteji Temple unique with restaurants around the temple serving tasty bites such as Ishiteji Temple’s signature treat, yakimochi (grilled rice cakes).
Experience the Buddhist lifestyle with an overnight stay at Daihoji Temple
Located in Kumakogen-cho and nestled among towering cedar and cypress trees, Daihoji Temple is the 44th temple along the famed 88-temple Shikoku Pilgrimage route. A visit to Daihoji Temple offers a serene experience with its traditional buildings surrounded by colourful vegetation, moss-covered stones, and connected by ferny pathways. The temple is dedicated to the eleven-faced Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, one of the most notable deities in Japanese Buddhism, and the temple’s Kannon statue is said to hold healing powers.
While any visit to Daihoji Temple promises a mystical and calming experience as you soak up nature and learn about the history around you, you can also choose to stay overnight at the temple for a deeper spiritual experience. An overnight stay offers the chance to experience the true Buddhist lifestyle with activities including meditation.
Feel the combined power of nature and traditional culture at Iwayaji Temple
An approximately 4-hour walk from Daihoji Temple through a mountainous wilderness of woodlands and streams will take you to Iwayaji Temple. Situated between two towering rock faces, you’ll be amazed by the dramatic scenes before you on the approach to Iwayaji Temple – the 45th temple on the Shikoku Pilgrimage route. You’ll follow the moss-covered steps through the forest and past vine covered statues as you make your way to the main temple grounds.
With its wooden buildings built to harmoniously coexist with the surrounding rock formations, a visit to Iwayaji Temple offers a unique spiritual experience where you’ll feel the combined power of culture and nature. At the temple, monks will guide you through Ajikan, one of the meditation methods, so you can experience a state of mindfulness in a peaceful setting, or you might even choose to try sutra copying which is said to promote focus and inner peace.
Explore the sacred caves and pathways, as well as the intricately carved Buddhist deities and statues embedded in the cliffs. Climb a ladder from the Main Temple Hall to Iwaya Cave for views over the temple precinct, and climb the rockface to the inner shrine, Okuno-in, which is perched above a clifftop behind the temple offering panoramic mountain views.
As well as the spiritual experiences on offer at Iwayaji Temple, you can also simply enjoy the natural surrounds in your own way by following some of the scenic walking trails leading to and from the temple. Enjoy cherry blossoms in spring and the vibrant red and gold leaves of autumn.
Visit the spiritual pilgrimage site of Japan’s sacred Mt. Ishizuchi
Mt. Ishizuchi is one of Japan’s sacred mountains, and for that very reason, is a prominent pilgrimage site which has historically attracted practitioners of Shinto and Shugendo for ascetic training and mountain worship and where climbers undertake rigorous ascents as a form of spiritual purification.
Comprised of four distinct sections, Ishizuchi Shrine and the mountain’s challenging chain ladders are said to be symbolic of strength and renewal. Visit the main shrine at the mountain’s base before ascending the forested mountainside towards two further shrines part way to the summit, and the final shrine at the mountain’s peak – one of the highest peaks in western Japan. At the summit, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the Ishizuchi mountain range and the Seto Inland Sea, with the summit shrine symbolising the mountain’s sanctity.
If you’re lucky enough to be travelling in July, don’t miss the chance to experience the “Mountain Opening” Festival from the 1st to the 10th of the month. Featuring climbers all dressed in white, the festival attracts climbers from all over Japan to celebrate the start of summer creating an energetic atmosphere.
After a long day exploring the shrines and majestic scenery of Mt. Ishizuchi, Itomachi Hotel Zero in Saijo City, Japan’s first zero-energy hotel, could provide the perfect place to rest while preserving your sense of spirituality. The hotel offers guests an elegant and sophisticated experience, as well as the opportunity to learn more about the hotel’s many unique environmental initiatives in its beautiful and natural setting within Ehime Prefecture.
Natural beauty panoramic natural scenes at Yokomineji Temple
Located halfway up Mt. Ishizuchi – the highest peak in western Japan – Yokomineji Temple is the third highest temple among the 88 Sacred Sites and is also known as “Rhododendron Temple”. From early to mid-May, rhodendrons bloom leaving the temple grounds blanketed in a stunning light pink veil. Due to the temple’s elevated position, Yokomineji Temple is known for its breathtaking views over the surrounding valleys and mountains, as well as its tranquil atmosphere, making for the perfect place to unwind and reflect.
Accessing the temple can be as easy or adventurous as you like – walk the lush mountain trails to an elevation of 750 metres or enjoy the meandering scenic journey up the mountainside by car. At the temple, visitors can simply admire their surroundings or engage in some of the spiritual rituals including lighting incense, ringing the temple bell, or reciting sutras to seek blessings.
Whatever time of year you visit, Yokomineji Temple promises stunning natural sights. Marvel at the cherry blossoms in spring, the lush forest foliage in summer and the changing colours of the leaves in autumn, and enjoy the clean, crisp white blanket of snow of the surrounding landscape in winter.
