is a temple of Shingon Buddhism in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. As a site sacred to the boddhisattva Kannon, it is the 9th temple on the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. The temple, built at the end of the Kamakura period, is noted for two national treasures: the temple's main hall (hondō) and the treasure pagoda (tahōtō). In addition it holds a number of Important Cultural Property structures and artworks.
History
Prince Shōtoku is said to have been the founder of the temple. It is certain that there has been a place of prayer at the site since the end of the Heian period. The actual construction took place from 1306 with the construction of the main hall (hon-dō). But as early as 1325 the temple burnt down. Shortly thereafter the most important buildings were rebuilt with the help of the population. An Eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy is worshiped at the temple.
During the Nanboku-chō period, Ashikaga Takauji visited the temple on the way from Kyūshū in 1336 and donated a collection of 33 poems thanking for military success. The collection is still in the possession of the temple and is registered as Japanese Important Cultural Property. Takauji made Jōdo-ji one of the temples for national pacification ().
Temple compound
The temple buildings are located halfway up a hill on a plaza stretching east–west from where there is a view on the Inland Sea. The temple precinct is entered from the south through the which is a four-legged gate in kirizuma style, with hongawara type shingles. The sanmon dates to 1333–1392 and has been designated as Important Cultural Property (ICP). Its kaerumata, frog leg struts, have been decorated with the family crest of the Ashikaga clan.
Facing the sanmon is the . Built by the carpenter in 1327 in the Japanese style (wayō) and later—with the addition of a front porch—adapted to the Zen style, it has been designated as National Treasure. The hall is a 5×5 ken, single-storied, irimoya style structure with a 1 ken step canopy, hongawarabuki roof.
Directly to the right or east of the Main Hall is the . This hall, dedicated to Amida, "The Buddha of Immeasurable Life and Light" who rules over the Western Paradis or the Pure land was built in 1345. It is a 5×4 ken, wide, single-storied structure in yosemune style, with hongawarabuki roof. A seated image of Amida Nyōrai is enshrined in this building.
The main temple structures are completed by the , a 3×3 ken, two-storied Buddhist tower, with hongawarabuki roof, dating to 1328 and designated as National Treasure. It enshrines an image of Dainichi Nyorai with attendants. The interior walls are painted with images of the Eight Patriarchs of Shingon Buddhism. During reconstruction works in 1936, many sutra scrolls and other items were discovered in the roof's finial (sōrin). Unlike the Main Hall and the Amida Hall which are aligned in east-westerly direction, the treasure pagoda is moved a bit south into the plaza, positioning it to the south-east of the Amida Hall.
A number of service buildings occupies the western end of the temple precinct. Directly to the northwest of the hōn-dō is the . Built in 1690 from donations by the Hashimoto family, wealthy merchants from Onomichi, this building is a , single-storied, yosemune style structure with hongawarabuki roof tiles.
To the west rising from a patch of white gravel next to the hōjō and extending up the hillside lies the which has been laid out in 1806 and designated as Place of Scenic Beauty. From the center of the garden a cascade drops down ending in a small pond. On the top of an artificial hill at the back of the garden is the tea house known as . It was donated in 1814 by the Tomishima family, a wealthy merchant family from Mukaishima across the strait. According to unconfirmed history, this tea house was originally found inside Fushimi Castle from where it was moved to Hongan-ji, Kyoto until it was disassembled in the late 16th/early 17th century and became property of the Tomishima family. Roteki-an is a single-storied, irimoya style structure with thatched roof. Inside it has a three-mat space for guests and a temaeza (seat for host) in the daime style (3/4 mat). There is a (shōbanseki, 相伴席) mat for additional or special guests.
Just south of the Roteki-an lies the , built in the style of the traditional kura storehouses. It is a double-storied kirizuma style structure, in size with hongawarabuki roof and dates to 1759.