Crane Forest Pagoda
Kakurinji Temple, the 20th temple on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, is nestled atop Washio Mountain at an elevation of 470 meters in Tokushima Prefecture. Founded by Kūkai in 798, the temple is renowned for its legend of two white cranes guarding a golden Jizō statue, inspiring its name, which means "crane forest". The temple complex features Tokushima's only three-storied pagoda, completed in 1827, and is surrounded by ancient cedar and pine trees. Pilgrims can reach the temple via a historic 4-kilometer stone-paved trail marked by Muromachi-period milestones, offering a serene and reflective journey through nature .
