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There are many "Thirty-three Kannon" temples remaining in the Aizu region, and they have become a source of spiritual support for the people. The "Thirty-three Kannon" are 33 temples where Kannon is enshrined, numbered from 1 to 33, and people visit each one in order. The temples are called "Fudasho," and people bring their own prayer talismans with them on them, and leave them there, receiving a goshuin (temple seal) as a memento. It can take several months to visit all 33 Kannon, but people save up money and enjoy the journey
The pilgrimage to the Thirty-Three Kannon Temples was first established by Hasedera Temple in Nara during the Nara period
The pilgrimage to the Thirty-Three Kannon Temples is said to have begun in the early Nara period when Tokudo Shonin, who founded Hasedera Temple in Yamato Province (Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture), designated 33 temples dedicated to Kannon, who is said to transform into 33 forms to save people, as sacred sites
Over the years, the pilgrimage to the Thirty-three Kannon Temples has spread throughout the country. During the Edo period, there are said to have been over 400 sacred sites, including widespread pilgrimages such as the still-famous Saigoku Thirty-three Temple Pilgrimage (Nara Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture; Hasedera Temple is the 8th temple; Japan Heritage Site) and the Bando Thirty-three Kannon Temples (Kanagawa Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, Tokyo Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture; Sensoji Temple is the 13th temple), as well as smaller areas such as the Chichibu Thirty-four Kannon Temples (Saitama Prefecture)
The Thirty-Three Kannon Temples of Aizu, started by the lord of Aizu during the Edo period, Hoshina Masayuki
The Aizu Thirty-three Kannon Temples were established in 1643 by Hoshina Masayuki, the first lord of the Aizu domain during the Edo period, to allow people to visit the 33 Kannon temples within the domain, eliminating the need for the popular pilgrimage to the 33 temples of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, which took several months round trip. This allowed people to avoid spending money on long trips, and the domain was able to prevent large amounts of money from flowing out of the domain
The Aizu Thirty-three Kannon Temples were originally established as the Thirty-three Kannon Temples in the North Aizu region, with Wakamatsu (Aizu-Wakamatsu) where the castle was located at the center. They became extremely popular as a short trip that combined socializing and entertainment for the people of the domain, who were already fervent believers in Kannon, especially women in rural areas
In Aizu, there are several 33 Kannon temples designated for each area
The first Thirty-three Aizu Kannon temples were concentrated in Northern Aizu, so there was a growing movement in the distant and mountainous Minami Aizu region to establish a local Thirty-three Kannon temple, and in 1698 the Okurairi Thirty-three Kannon temples, which visit the Thirty-three Kannon temples in the Minami Aizu region, were established
The name "Okurairi" comes from the name Minamiyama Okurairi Ryo, which was given to the Minamiaizu region, centered around Tajima (Tajima, Minamiaizu Town), which was under direct control of the shogunate in the early Edo period
In the Aizu region, many other 33 Kannon temples were designated, including the Inawashiro Thirty-three Kannon, the Kubota Thirty-three Kannon, the Nagata Saigoku Thirty-three Kannon, and the Sairyuji Otome Thirty-three Kannon, covering most of the territory, and people enjoyed making pilgrimages to the 33 Kannon temples
These 33 Kannon statues, along with the surrounding temples, roads, and post towns such as Ouchi-juku, have been designated as a Japanese Heritage Site, "Pilgrimage to the 33 Kannon Temples of Aizu - Aizu Culture Seen through Pilgrimage."
The "Gokurairi Thirty-three Kannon" pilgrimage begins with the Johoji Kannon Hall in Tadami, the town deepest in Minamiaizu, and includes 33 Kannon halls spread over five towns in a clockwise direction: Aizubange, Aizumisato, Shimogo, and Minamiaizu. The 33rd temple is Izumida Senkodo, and you will soon return to the first temple, Johoji Kannon Hall
The entire journey of the "Gokurairi Thirty-three Kannon Temples" is said to be 44 ri 31 cho, or about 180 km. Of the 33 Kannon temples, the 8th temple, Higashi Ogi Kannon Temple, currently has no buildings due to disasters. Additionally, the 20th temple, Kawashima Iwato Temple, is located on a cliff and is not accessible to climb. All other Kannon temples are open to worship
Unfortunately, it seems that it is currently not possible to receive a goshuin stamp at any temple except for the 10th temple, Ono Kannon-do
There are many cultural assets, and most of the "Mikurairi Thirty-three Kannon Temples" can be visited by car
The "Gokurairi Thirty-three Kannon" temple contains many precious buildings and Buddhist statues that have been designated as important cultural properties of Japan
The first temple, Johoji Kannon Hall, is a valuable example of medieval Buddhist temple architecture, said to have been built in the early Momoyama period in the pure Tang Dynasty style (an architectural style that was introduced from China along with Zen Buddhism during the Kamakura period). Johoji Kannon Hall has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The principal image of Johoji Temple, a wooden seated statue of the Bodhisattva Kannon, is an Important Cultural Property of Fukushima Prefecture
Temple No. 11, Nakanosawa Kannon Hall, is a Kannon Hall located in Kyokudenji Temple, and is said to have been rebuilt during the Muromachi period. It is a purely Japanese-style building with a beautifully curved roof. It is a nationally designated important cultural property
Other cultural properties include the crocodile bell (an important cultural property of Fukushima Prefecture) at the 10th temple, Ono Kannon-do; votive plaques (designated cultural properties of Shimogo Town); the wooden seated Amida Buddha statue and wooden standing Yakushi Buddha statue at the 14th temple, Yakushi-ji Temple (both important cultural properties of Fukushima Prefecture); the main hall, kitchen, and Konpira Hall at the 15th temple, Tokusho-ji Temple (registered tangible cultural properties of the country); the tower gate at the 19th temple, Omamewata Nansenji Kannon-do (important cultural property of Fukushima Prefecture); the wooden seated Amida Buddha statue at the 24th temple, Zendo-ji Temple, Furumachi Eiyodo (important cultural property of Fukushima Prefecture); and the wooden seated Buddha statue at the 29th temple, Tonomasu Matsuyodo (designated tangible cultural property of Minamiaizu Town)
Minamiaizu is home to another Thirty-three Kannon temples. These are the Nagata Saikoku Thirty-three Kannon, a group of 33 stone Kannon statues lined up along the approach to Sagi Shrine in the Nagata district of Minamiaizu Town, stretching for about 1 km. It all began in the early 1800s, when a wealthy local man enshrined a single stone Kannon statue within the shrine grounds in the hopes of bringing peace to the region. Over the next two generations of the family, a total of 33 stone statues were carved and placed along the approach. Completed in 1878 (Meiji 11), the temple has since attracted many worshippers, who believe that simply walking around the approach to the temple once will bring them the same merit as making a pilgrimage to all 33 Kannon temples
The Aizu Thirty-three Kannon Bodhisattvas, which include the Gokurairi Thirty-three Kannon Bodhisattvas and the Nagata Saigoku Thirty-three Kannon Bodhisattvas, are registered as a Japan Heritage Site
Phone number: 0241-62-3000 (Minamiaizu Town Tourism and Products Association)
Temple: Yakushiji Temple
Sect: Shingon Buddhism
Principal image: Seated Nyoirin Kannon statue
Cultural properties: Wooden seated statue of Amida Nyorai (Important Cultural Property of Fukushima Prefecture), Standing statue of Yakushi Nyorai (Important Cultural Property of Fukushima Prefecture)
My love of travel grew, and I used to write a travel magazine, and now I'm a travel writer for the web. During my research, I visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, mainly in the Tohoku region, but my fun part is soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture such as old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts.
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