Unpen-ji 雲辺寺
Wildcard: “Temple in the Clouds”
The Unpen-ji (Temple in the Clouds) is my wildcard on a visit to Shikoku. Temple 66 of the 88 Sacred Temples pilgrimage, Unpen-ji is the highest at 911m, tucked into the western corner of Tokushima prefecture, almost straddling the border with Kagawa.
The attraction here is the incredible collection of 500 remarkably expressive, life-size rakan statues. Between the upper ropeway station and the temple halls, you could spend hours inspecting and photographing these mesmerising statues.
Yes, you read that right! There’s a ropeway to get up here from the northern (Kagawa prefecture) side of the mountains. Show your passport and you’ll even get a discount!
Alternatively, drive up to the small temple carpark from the Tokushima prefecture side. That will be an adventure in itself!
