Ruins of Keishoji Temple, Hell Paradise

King Yama and the gatekeepers of the underworld emerge in the dim lighting.
Is this the first street of hell? Or is this a stairway to heaven?
The mystery of the mysterious cave dug by a high priest is explored.

Experiences! One-day tour to the other side of the world
After passing through the hell of darkness, there is a world of paradise with the light of hope.

　When one hears the word "hell" in Oita, most people probably think of Beppu's Hell Tour. However, in the town of Ajimu, Usa City, there is a place where visitors can experience not only hell but also paradise. The cave on top of a small hill in the countryside is the "Jigoku Gokuraku (Hell and Paradise)" at the former site of Keishoji Temple.
　This cave was built in the late Edo period. It is said that Gyodo Hoin, a monk of the Tendai sect, built the cave when he restored Keishoji Temple, which had been closed down, to help the people who could not read understand the teachings of Buddha and the concepts of hell and paradise. The cave itself was not naturally formed, but was carved by hand with a chisel, and it is said that all the villagers worked together. The chisel marks are still clearly visible on the walls.

　At the entrance of the cave, visitors will be judged by King Yama, who is accompanied by an ox-head and a horse-head, to determine whether they will go to hell or paradise. After that, you will visit the Pool of Blood Hell, where red and blue demons are waiting for you, and Sanzu-no-gawa (the River of Sanzu), where the robed woman awaits you, and exit through the Paradise Cave, where Buddha images such as the Sakyamuni Buddha and Monju Bosatsu (Manjusri) stand side by side. Visitors can also climb up through a vertical hole that extends from the cave to the top of a hill that is bathed in light, which is modeled after the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. In other words, it is a theme park that simulates the afterlife. The vertical hole has a chain hanging down from it, and you have to climb up it like the kandata in Ryunosuke Akutagawa's novel "The Spider's Thread". If you try it, you should be prepared to get your clothes a little dirty.
　The statues in the Hell Grottoes, while powerful, seem surreal and even humorous to modern people, must have been terrifying enough for people at that time, when there were only candles and other forms of illumination. Therefore, the sunlight shining near the exit from the Grotto of Paradise must have seemed like a ray of hope. The tour of the other world can be completed in less than 30 minutes. Why not give it a try?

Ruins of Keishoji Temple, Hell Paradise