This temple, which was originally called Goraku-ji, is a place where you can worship the Tadagatake Mountains from afar. It once prospered during the Warring States Period as a place of refuge and reformation for criminals seeking salvation. However, it caught fire, and after that, it was renamed Matoku-ji and moved to this location by the Sakai Family of the Obama Domain. This became a place to pray for the peace of the domain and also served as a villa for the Sakai family. As a result, you can see a beautiful garden on the temple grounds.

This temple has seen much change over the years. The roots of the temple as “Goraku-ji” can be seen on the principal object of worship — the Amitabha statue. Amitabha leads people to salvation and paradise, protecting those criminals who sought salvation here as well as the people of the Obama Domain.

Jingu-ji, Kokubun-ji, Tada-ji, Myotsu-ji, Myōraku-ji, Ensho-ji, Matoku-ji. The eight temples of Obama are all considered cultural heritage sites and important national treasures. However, this is only a small fraction of the temples in the area. There are over 260 temples and shrines spread throughout the Wakasa area that have been labeled important cultural treasures. Why do the treasures of Wakasa still exist to this day? There is no single answer to that question. We hope this journey we have taken today leads you to your own answer.