# Hōnen Shōnin 25 Sacred Sites Pilgrimage

The Hōnen Shōnin 25 Sacred Sites Pilgrimage (Japanese: 法然上人二十五霊場, Hepburn: Honen Shonin Nijugo Reijo) is a circuit pilgrimage to 25 temples related to Hōnen Shonin, the founder of the Jōdo-shū Buddhist sect.
It was originally created and promoted by the monk Reitaku during the Hōreki Era of the Edo Period in the year 1761 to commemorate the 550th anniversary of Hōnen's death. In 1924, some temples were renovated in accordance with historical facts and biographies, but in March 1959, to mark the 750th anniversary of the death of Honen Shonin, the "Guide to Pilgrimage to the Sacred Sites of the Original Honen Shonin" was published, following the same format as during the Hōreki Era. It was revived again in 1974 to mark the 800th anniversary of the founding of Jōdo-shū. While the pilgrimage is primarily composed of temples of the Jōdo-shū sect, Tendai and Shingon temples are also included, due to Hōnen having visited them.
The temples are located in the Chūgoku, Shikoku, and Kansai regions. The reason for visiting the 25 sacred sites is said to be because of the anniversary of the death of the monk Honen on January 25th, or because of the number of the 25 bodhisattvas who are the holy followers of the Raigō of Amida Buddha.

## List of the 25 Temples

| No. | Temple | Sect | Location | Description |
| 1 | Tanjo-ji | Jōdo-shū | 808 Tanjoji Satokata, Kumenan Town, Okayama Prefecture | The Birthplace of Hōnen |
| 2 | Busshozan Honen-ji | Jōdo-shū | 3215 Busshozancho , Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture | Location of Hōnen during his exile in Shikoku. |
| 3 | Jurin-ji | Seizan Jōdo-shū | 1074 Yokocho, Takasago-cho , Takasago City, Hyogo Prefecture | A place where fishermen were taught during Hōnen's exile. |
| 4 | Nyorai-in | Jōdo-shū | 11 Teramachi, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture | A place where prostitutes were taught during Hōnen's exile. |
| 5 | Katsuo-ji | Shingon Koyasan | Katsuoji Temple, Minoh City, Osaka Prefecture | Staying place after return from Shikoku. |
| 6 | Shitennō-ji | Wa-shū | Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City , Tennoji Ward , Shitennoji 1-11-18 | |
| 7 | Isshin-ji | Jōdo-shū | Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, Tennoji Ward, Osaka 2-8-69 | |
| 8 | Hoonko-ji | Seizan Jōdo-shū | 117 Okawa, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture | Place Hōnen landed after being exiled to Shikoku. |
| 9 | Taima-dera | Jōdo-shū and Shingon | 1263 Touma, Katsuragi City, Nara Prefecture | The holding place of the Taima Mandala. |
| 10 | Honen-ji (Kashihara) | Jōdo-shū | 908 Minamiuracho, Kashihara City , Nara Prefecture | A stop on the way back from Mount Kōya and a place of public education. |
| 11 | Tōdai-ji | Kegon | Zoshicho , Nara City, Nara Prefecture | The Three Pure Land Sutras lecture hall. |
| 12 | Gonjo-ji | Jōdo-shū | 2-6-7 Ichinoki, Ise City, Mie Prefecture | Burned down in 2021, still under repair. |
| 13 | Kiyomizu-dera | Hosso | 1-chome, Shimizu -cho , Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture | Amida Hall. |
| 14 | Shorin-ji | Jōdo-shū | Kyoto City, Higashiyama Ward, Shibuya-dori Higashioji Higashiiru 3-chome Kamiumacho | Former residence of Taira no Shigemori, preaching place. |
| 15 | Genku-ji (Kyoto) | Jōdo-shū | 745 Setomonocho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture | A stopover after the Great Buddha's eye-opening ceremony and a place for the public to learn. |
| 16 | Komyo-ji | Seizan Jōdo-shū | 26-1, Aosaijo, Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto Prefecture | Crematorium of Hōnen. |
| 17 | Nison-in | Tendai | Nagagamicho, in front of Saga Nison-in Temple, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture | Place where the Seven-Article Pledge was created. |
| 18 | Tsukinowa-dera | Tendai | 37, Kiyotaki Tsukinowacho, Saga, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture | |
| 19 | Honen-ji (Kyoto) | Jōdo-shū | Kyoto City, Ukyo Ward, Saga Tenryuji Tateishicho 1 | |
| 20 | Seigan-ji | Seizan Jōdo-shū | 453 Shinkyogoku Sakuranocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture | Preaching place. |
| 21 | Shorin-in | Tendai | Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Sakyo Ward , Ohara Shorin-incho | The site of the Ohara Debate. |
| 22 | Chion-ji | Jōdo-shū | 103 Tanakamonzencho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture | |
| 23 | Shojokein | Jōdo-shū | 395 Kitanobecho, Teramachi-dori Hirokojiagaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture | A grant of land for a training hall within the Imperial Court. |
| 24 | Konkaikōmyō-ji | Jōdo-shū | 121 Kurodani-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture | |
| 25 | Chion-in | Jōdo-shū | 400 Hayashishita-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Prefecture | The head temple of the Chinzei Sect, as well as Hōnen's death place and mausoleum. |