Goshuin number 4 is from the 世尊院 (Seson-in). While not a part of the Zenkoji complex, it is close by. I happened to look down a side-street, saw a temple at the end, and decided to check it out!

This temple is dedicated to Bishamonten, one of the seven gods of fortune. Bishamon represents good fortune in war and battles (so he is most-often depicted wearing battle armor), and protects those who follow the rules. He usually has a pagoda in his left hand and a spear in his right. I was really excited to find that this temple was dedicated to Bishamon; I’ve gained an interest in the gods of fortune thanks to the anime Noragami, in which all of the gods are portrayed (don’t judge me haha). Of course, in the anime Bishamon is a scantily clad woman with long blond hair who rides a lion… Details, details.

Even though it is dedicated to Bishamon, his statue was small and kind of off to the side. The main statue was of the reclining Buddha, representing the moments before his death. This is a unique factor for this temple, and they show that by including it on their stamp; the reclining Buddha can be seen in the top left corner.

Date received: August 16th, 2017