Buddhist temple
Hōki-in
法起院(ほうきいん)
Sakurai, Nara Prefecture
A sub-temple and founder's hall of Hase-dera, standing in front of its gate. Its principal image is a statue of Tokudō Shōnin, who founded Hase-dera. As an extra (bangai) temple of the Saigoku Thirty-Three pilgrimage, it is visited by pilgrims.
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
Prayers associated with this place
Principal image: Tokudō Shōnin (a statue said to have been made by the Shōnin himself)
History and things to know
According to the temple history, this is regarded as the place where Tokudō Shōnin lived in retirement in his later years, and it is said to have been founded in Tenpyō 7 (735). The Shōnin is said to have been entrusted by Great King Enma with spreading thirty-three sacred places of Kannon. In Genroku 8 (1695) Eigaku Sōjō of Hase-dera rebuilt it, and it became the founder's hall sub-temple of the head temple Hase-dera.
Introduced by this site, based on materials from the shrine or temple and public bodies.
Before you visit
It is a separate temple from the head temple Hase-dera, about a three-minute walk from Hase-dera.
Official website of the shrine or temple (may be in Japanese)
Sources (in Japanese)
- 法起院「御祭神・御本尊・由緒の公式案内」(2026-10-22 確認)
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