The 66th temple on the Shikoku Eighty-Eight Temple Pilgrimage, enshrining Senju Kanzeon Bosatsu (Thousand-Armed Kannon) as its principal image. Standing at an elevation of 911 meters, it is the highest sacred site on the Shikoku pilgrimage and is called the "Barrier Gate of Shikoku" for its difficulty. The ascent can be made by ropeway, but the precincts built atop the rugged mountain summit are a…

Unpenji Temple is traditionally said to have been founded in 807 CE by the monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi) at the age of sixteen. He is believed to have carved a statue of Senju Kannon (Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara) and enshrined it as the principal deity of the temple. During the Heian period, the temple…