御厨人窟

Mikurodo - Mikuro Cave - Mikurodo Cave - Shinmei Cave - Shinmeikutsu


Useful Information

Location: Murotomisakicho, Muroto, Kochi 〒781-7101.
(33.251646, 134.180541)
Open: All year daily 8-17.
[2022]
Fee: free.
[2022]
Classification: SubterraneaCave Church SpeleologySea Cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Muroto City Tourism Association, 3225-2, Murotomisaki cho, Muroto City, Kochi Prefecture, Tel: +81-887-22-0574.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

~800 the Buddhist monk 御厨人窟 (Kōbōdaishi, Kobo Daishi) is said to have trained and lived in Mikurodo Cave.

Description

御厨人窟 (Mikurodo Cave) is located at the Muroto coastline, hence the name, at the foot of a steep cliff. It is obviously a small sea cave without any remarkable properties, just a short straight tunnel. Like many such caves it has a torii door at the entrance and a shinto shrine at the end. A second, even smaller sea cave named 神明窟 (Shinmei Cave, Shinmeikutsu) is located only 20 m away. For the visitors of the caves and the shrine a sort of roof on pillars was erected in front of both cave entrances, to protect them from falling rocks from the cliff face above. The caves are located right at the coastal road 55.

The Buddhist monk 御厨人窟 (Kōbōdaishi, Kobo Daishi) is said to have trained and lived in Mikurodo Cave. He cleaned himself in the nearby Gyozui-no-ike pond. According to legend, he attained his enlightenment in the neighbouring Shinmeikutsu Cave. Then he took his new chosen name from the view of the sky and ocean at the cave entrance, the two kanji characters of 空海 (Kukai) meaning sky and sea. A statue depicting the monk as a young man was erected nearby.

The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, also called Ohenro, is a Buddhist pilgrimage to 88 temples around the island of Shikoku. The first who made this pilgrimage was Kukai 1,200 years ago. He was the founder of the Shingon school of Buddhism and established the main temple on sacred Mt. Koya, so his pilgrimage became legendary. Nearby is the 最御崎寺 (Hotsumisaki-ji Temple), the 24th stop on the pilgrimage and first temple on the Kochi stretch of the Ohenro.