Japanese
Gentiana sikokiana at Myohozan Amida-ji Temple（Amida-ji-no Asamarindo）
阿弥陀寺のアサマリンドウ
Brightly colored, autumn flower that appeases the soul of a deceased priest
At Myohozan Amida-ji Temple (or simply called Amida-ji Temple), you can find a small platform-like structure made by assembling rocks. It is said that on the platform, a Buddhist priest called Ohsho, who studied the Lotus Sutra some time during the Heian Era (794-1185), burned himself alive as he engaged in kajo zanmai (“fire samadhi”), a Buddhist practice in which a monk aims to enter the Pure Land by burning himself to death. When autumn arrives, flowers of Gentiana sikokiana bloom around this platform, as though appeasing the soul of Priest Ohsho.
Information
Municipality
Nachikatsuura Town
Area
Minamihirano, Nachi-Katsuura Town
Season / Time zone
Autumn ／
Daytime
Weather conditions
Sunny Cloudy
Frequency of appearance
According to seasons
Access
From Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine or Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple, follow the Kakenuke-michi path of the Kumano Kodo’s Nakahechi route to Myohozan Amida-ji Temple – 70 minutes’ walk.
