The History of Jyourakuji Temple
Chichibu Fudasho was built in 1234.
At that time, a Fudasho served as a place where pilgrims would nail wooden plaques with various prayers and wishes to the temple hall as proof of their pilgrimage.
The history of Jyourakuji began as a small shrine enshrining Jyuichimen Kanzeon Bosatsu (Eleven-faced Kanzeon Bodhisattva) as the principal object of worship, and later officially became Jyourakuji Temple.
During the Edo period, as the common people’s lives became more affluent, pilgrimage, which had previously been practiced only by a few monks, became a trend. The Chichibu Fudasho gained popularity, particularly because it was relatively close to Edo (present-day Tokyo), attracting a large number of people and becoming bustling with activity.
The temple faced a devastating fire in 1878 known as the “Chichibu Great Fire,” which consumed approximately 40,000 square meters of Chichibu town, including the temple.
The Chichibu Fire was so devastating that the temple, including the Niomon gate, was destroyed by fire, and Jorakuji Temple was closed down.
The items that have survived from before the fire are limited to statues such as the Jyuichimen Kanzeon Bosatsu and fortune-drawing boxes.
As the 11th temple of the “Chichibu 34 Temples”, which is counted among the “Japan 100 Kannon” together with the Saigoku 33 Temples and the Bando 33 Temples, Jyourakuji Temple is beloved by many visitors.
