Temple of Good Luck
In the west corner of the Suo Kokubunji Temple compound stands the Shotendo. This modestly-sized temple was completed in 2008. The original Shotendo was built by the local daimyo Mohri Yoshihiro in 1702. Shoten is a god who provides people with health, prosperity in business, harmonious marriage, and good fortune overall. He is derived from the Indian god Ganesha, whom Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, converted from a destructive deity to a benign god who protects the faith and keeps harm at bay. The temple exterior features charming sculptures of lion-dogs and elephants. The interior of the gohai roofed entrance features some straightforward symbols of prosperity and luck, such as gold bars, a key, and Buddhist prayer beads. The ideogram just above the beads reads “fuku,” meaning “luck.”