Shogakuzan Enpukuji Temple

Shōgakuzan Enpukuji is a special head temple of the Tendai school of Buddhism, located in Kasugai City, Aichi Prefecture. Said to have been founded in 723 (Yōrō 7), this ancient temple enshrines the Eleven-Faced Kannon Bodhisattva as its principal image. The grounds also include the Yao Bikuni Hall, and the temple is known as the birthplace of Yao Bikuni, a legendary woman said to have lived 800 years after eating the flesh of a mermaid. Climb the stairs that lead up beside the Niō Gate, and quiet grounds surrounded by trees await.

The Birthplace of the Yao Bikuni Legend

The story passed down at Enpukuji is the legend of Yao Bikuni. When the temple was founded, this area still faced the sea. One day, a fisherman caught a strange fish whose head and shoulders were those of a human. Unsettled by the sight, the fisherman left it untouched, but a young girl who unknowingly ate the flesh is said to have lived for 800 years while keeping her unmatched beauty.

After shaving her head and traveling through many provinces, she is said to have entered nyūjō, a meditative passing, in a cave in Wakasa. Stories about Yao Bikuni survive across Japan, including in Fukui, Ishikawa, Wakayama, and Kanagawa, but Enpukuji is one of the places known as her birthplace. The Yao Bikuni Hall on the grounds once enshrined a bikuni statue carved in the late Heian period. The statue is now carefully preserved in the temple's treasure hall.

An Unexpected Connection to the Manga Chiikawa

In the island arc serialized from 2023 through 2024, Nagano's popular manga Chiikawa built its story around the curious folk belief that eating the flesh of a mermaid grants eternal life. This is the very motif of the Yao Bikuni legend. An ancient tale has been drawn into the world of these modern, cute characters.

In the summer of 2026, a theatrical film based on that island arc, Chiikawa the Movie: Secret of Mermaid Island, is also set for release. For anyone whose interest in the Yao Bikuni story was sparked by Chiikawa, Enpukuji, said to be her birthplace, is where the legend takes on a tangible feel as a real place. Many people still bring their hands together in prayer in front of the hall, and a steady stream of worshippers continues to come hoping for long life and good relationships.

1,300 Years of History

Enpukuji was founded in 723 (Yōrō 7). According to temple records, it was established by imperial decree of Emperor Shōmu. From the Kamakura through the Muromachi periods, it flourished as a great temple complex of seven main halls (shichidō garan), with twelve priests' lodgings at its foothills. Its name appears in 1335 (Kenmu 2) in an Imperial Court document called the Zassho Ketsudansho-chō.

During the Tenshō era (1573 to 1592), many of its buildings were lost to fire, but reconstruction followed, and the present main hall (Kannon Hall) is said to have been built in 1657 (Meireki 3). For more than 1,300 years, an unbroken stream of people have come here to offer prayers to the Eleven-Faced Kannon.

The Niō Gate and Highlights of the Grounds

Climbing the stone steps along the approach, the first thing to greet visitors is the Niō Gate. The pair of Niō statues standing on either side are designated cultural properties of Kasugai City and watch over visitors with imposing expressions. Just before the Niō Gate stands the Yao Bikuni Hall, where many who feel drawn to the legendary heroine pause for a moment.

Pass through the gate and climb the stone steps, and the quiet main hall (Kannon Hall) appears. The principal image, the Eleven-Faced Kannon, is treasured as a hidden Buddha (hibutsu), and goshuin red seals can be received at the main hall's reception. The grounds change face with each season, with cherry blossoms in spring, fresh maple greens in early summer, and crimson foliage in autumn giving the approach an entirely different look as the year turns.

Access and Visitor Information

Enpukuji is about a 10-minute bus ride from Kōzōji Station on the JR Chūō Main Line. On foot from the station, the walk takes about 40 minutes. The grounds are generally open for free visiting, but special openings of the Yao Bikuni Hall and main hall, as well as goshuin reception hours, vary depending on the temple's schedule. Checking the official website or calling ahead before your visit is the safest approach.