Kakurin-ji is temple No. 20 on the Shikoku pilgrimage, or Henro. Located 490 m above sea level, it’s a fine example of a mountain-top temple.

Legend has it that the temple was founded by Kūkai who undertook ascetic training on the mountain. A pair of white cranes flew down from the forest and left a golden Jizō statue. Kūkai carved a wooden statue and placed the golden statue in its belly. The name of the temple means “crane forest”. Consequently decorative crane motifs can be found throughout the temple grounds, and in place of the usual muscled wild men, the temple guardians are likewise cranes. 

Kakurin-ji stands across the Naka River from Temple No. 21, Tairyū-ji, another mountain-top temple. From Kakurin-ji, you can see as far as Awaji Island and the Pacific Ocean. In Tokushima, it’s regarded as the second most difficult temple to reach after Shōsan-ji and the path up to it is rated among the “pilgrim-killers”. However, it’s no problem for a reasonably fit person.