Tanukidani-fudoin, sometimes also called Tanukidanisan-Fudoin (狸谷山不動院), is a little known temple located in a narrow valley, straight up the road from more famous places of Ichijo-ji such as Shisen-do and Enko-ji. "Tanukidani(-san)" means "the raccoon valley", and it is the reason why so many discarded "Shigaraki" raccoons potteries rest here. Dramatically put, this temple is the place where raccoons come to die. The temple was built in 781 in this north-east part of the Kyoto capital as a guardian against "bad spirits". The north-eastern direction is sometimes written 鬼門, which literally means the demon's gate. Hence the need for protection.

Besides raccoon potteries, Tanukidani-fudoin is a popular temple for praying for the recovery of sick relatives, especially those with incurable diseases such as cancer. The temple offers small wooden tablets with a human shape on which the parts to be healed are circled, usually with a small prayer or explanation.

The temple is also one of the few examples of overhanging terraces, and maybe the only one in Kyoto besides the famous balcony of Kiyomizu-dera. The structure is much younger and smaller here though. The city can be viewed from the temple's terrace, but the view is of course a bit narrow.

Keywords: Tanukidanisan-fudoin, 狸谷山不動院‎, raccoon valley, temple, shrine, 不動院, fudouin, fudou-in, fudo-in, fudoin, 狸谷不動院‎

Nearby: Shisen-do 詩仙堂 (580m), Konpuku-ji 金福寺 (600m), Enko-ji 圓光寺 (600m), Manshuin Monzeki 曼殊院門跡 (840m)

id: 276, 14 photos (3 extra photos can be found in the archive).