Ibaraki

As temple 22 on the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage in Ibaraki, Osaka, Sōji‑ji belongs to the Kōyasan Shingon sect. According to legend, its founder Fujiwara no Yamakage established the temple in 886 after a turtle saved him from drowning; this story explains why the temple’s principal image—a thousand‑armed, eleven‑headed Kannon—stands on a turtle. Sōji‑ji is renowned for the Yamakage‑ryu knife ceremony held every April 18 in honour of Yamakage, considered the father of Japanese knife culture. Having been rebuilt several times, the temple remains the 22nd stop on the Saigoku pilgrimage and a centre of faith for devotees.