Daishi-do hall (大師堂)
Daishi-do hall is a type of Buddhist hall in Japan built to enshrine and pray to a priest who was entitled as Daishi (literally a great master, an honorific title given by the Imperial Court). Although most Buddhist halls called 'Daishi-do' enshrine Kukai (Kobo Daishi) (774 - 835) who was the founder of the Shingon sect, there are some halls called 'Daishido' which enshrine Enchin (Chisho Daishi) and Ryogen (Gensan Daishi, Jikei Daishi).
The Daishi-dos in the Shikoku's eighty-eight sacred places.
Every temple in the Shikoku's eighty-eight sacred places surely has a Daishi-do which enshrines Kukai, and it is common to visit to pray the Daishi-do as well as the hondo (main hall). There is a certain manner to visit and carry out prayer as described below.
Make a bow at the front of the sanmon gate (temple gate), wash the hands and rinse the mouth at the mizuya (washing place), then toward the hondo, serve senko (incense stick) and candle, dedicate a shirofuda which is regarded as a hand-copied sutra of the Hannya-shingyo then chant the Hannya-shingyo Sutra. Then, repeat the same procedure at the front of the Daishi-do. After that, get the nokyo shuin (temple stamp) on the nokyo cho (prayer book), oizuru (thin, sleeveless over garment worn by pilgrims), hanging scroll etc. At last, bow again when leaving the sanmon.
Others
There many shops called Daishi-do named after Kobo Daishi which are butugu (Buddhist religious objects) shop, gravestone shop, funeral business, acupuncture clinic and so on.
Examples of famous Daishi-dos
The Onjo-ji Temple (Mii-dera Temple) Daishi-do, the important cultural property. It enshrines the statue of Enchin (Chisho Daishi). It was built in 1598 in the Momoyama period. It is constructed in the hogyo-zukuri style (all the roof ridges gathering at the center) and hiwadabuki (with the bark of hinoki Japanese cypress as roof material). It is one of the important cultural property.
The Negoro-ji Temple Daishi-do, (hall for the Great Teacher in Negoro-ji), the important cultural property. It survived the attacking and burning by Hideyoshi along with the Daito (large stupa). It is assumed that the Daishi-do was built around 1391.
The Okura-ji Temple Daishi-do (Uda City), the important cultural property. It was built in the Kamakura period. It is constructed in the hogyo-zukuri style and kokera-buki (roof thatched with thin wood shingles), and this is the oldest Daishi-do in Japan.
Anrakuju-in Temple Daishi-do: It was rebuild using the material of the Shinmito pagoda which had collapsed with the earthquake in 1596.
Suma-dera Temple Daishi-do: The completion ceremony was held at October 17, 2007.
The Daishi-do of each temples in the Shikoku's eighty-eight sacred places.