Entsuji Temple Park

In the village of Kyokushi, Entsuji Temple Park occupies the site of a once-powerful religious complex protected by the Kikuchi clan. The temple's history runs through the Mongol invasions of 1274 and 1281, when clan leader Kikuchi Takefusa helped defend Japan and thereafter granted significant lands to Entsuji. The park's stone gate, built from Mt. Aso's red volcanic rock with elegantly curved eaves, dates to a restoration period in the early 1800s. A hillside trail lined with Buddhist deity statues represents a miniature version of the famous 88-temple Shikoku pilgrimage. Rhododendrons bloom along the paths in season.