Daijoji Temple and Yoshiura Shrine 大定寺と吉浦神社

To the left inside the main gate are several rows of statues of the bodhisattva Jizo (Ksitigarbha in Sanskrit). The smaller statues depict a human-like figure holding a baby, and the larger statues in the middle show a number of children clambering over the deity. These portrayals reflect the belief that Jizo protects the innocent and cares for the souls of those who were not able to live a long life. The unborn and those who die in infancy are viewed by the Shingon school as not having had the opportunity to reach enlightenment through the following of Buddhist teachings. Jizo, it is believed, helps guide the spirits of the prematurely deceased into the afterlife.

Covering Jizo statues in red bibs or placing decorative pinwheels next to them is common. These items are thought to help soothe the souls of those who passed away at a young age.

Yoshiura Shrine

Yoshiura Shrine is located behind Daijoji Temple and was built after the construction of the temple. The nearby town of Shiotatsu has another shrine of the same name that predates this one, and the two share a common history. Nabeshima Naozumi (1616–1669), the first daimyo of the Hasuike branch of the Nabeshima family, ruled over the area during the early part of the Edo period (1603–1867). Naozumi built the first Yoshiura Shrine to protect and honor the ceramic industry, and as the industry flourished, more people came to pray at the shrine. The new Yoshiura Shrine was built for the convenience of residents of the Yoshida area.