The “Cancer Stifling Temple” がん封じ寺

In Mikawa City, Aichi Prefecture stands a temple named Muryoji 無量寺, which is said to have been established during the Heian Period (794-1185). It is widely known as a place that provides efficacy toward the act of fujiru 封じる (sealing, suppressing, blocking, throttling) against some negative aspect in our lives, for example, ending habits such as gambling or smoking. This temple is alternatively named  ganfuji-no-tera (the “Cancer Stifling Temple”) because of the belief in its power to cure or control illness.