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The origin of the 33 Kannon pilgrimage in Yamagata Prefecture is said to be the "Mogami 33 Kannon Pilgrimage," which began during the Muromachi period
This pilgrimage to the 33 Kannon temples, which is said to have begun about 580 years ago, gradually spread to neighboring areas. In the Edo period, the"Okitama 33 Kannon" pilgrimage, and in the early 1700s,the "Shonai 33 Kannon" pilgrimagewas established in the Shonai domain.
Visiting three of the 33 Kannon pilgrimage sites is sometimes called the "Hundred Kannon Pilgrimage," and is referred to as the "Japan's Hundred Kannon."
The Thirty-Three Kannon Temples of Saigoku(Wakayama Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, Nara Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture)
Bando Thirty-Three Kannon Temples(Kanagawa Prefecture, Tokyo, Saitama Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture)
Chichibu Hyakukannon(Saitama Prefecture)
Visiting all three of these places would require a considerable amount of time and money
In that respect, the "Dewa Hundred Kannon" pilgrimage , which consists of the "Mogami Thirty-Three Kannon," the "Shonai Thirty-Three Kannon," and the "Okitama Thirty-Three Kannon, " is completed entirely within Yamagata Prefecture, making it easy to undertake.
*The "Dewa Hyakukannon" (100 Kannon of Dewa Province) actually consists of 102 temples, including the first and extra temples, not 100
The pilgrimage to the 33 Kannon temples is traditionally undertaken by dressing in white pilgrim attire, carrying a walking stick, and walking in white tabi socks. However, in modern times, it is perfectly acceptable to visit each Kannon temple by private car or bus and simply collect the temple stamps
It's certainly true that visiting a Kannon statue leaves you feeling refreshed. The pilgrimage to the 33 Kannon temples is probably a way for Japanese people to cleanse their souls
While some temples may not offer Goshuin (temple stamps) on the spot, they can sometimes be obtained at designated temples or locations, so please check before you begin your pilgrimage
The Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage began in Nara during the Nara period
The Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage is said to have originated in the early Nara period when Tokudo Shonin , who founded Hase-dera Temple in Yamato Province (Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture) , designated 33 temples dedicated to Kannon Bodhisattva, who is said to transform into 33 different forms to save people, as sacred sites.
The pilgrimage to the 33 Kannon temples spread throughout Japan over many years
During the Edo period, it is said that there were more than 400 pilgrimage sites , including wide-area pilgrimages such as the now-famous Saigoku Thirty-Three KannonPilgrimageand Bando Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage , as well as smaller regional pilgrimages such as the Chichibu Thirty-Four Kannon Pilgrimage and the Aizu Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage (Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture).
The legend of Princess Kōhime is passed down through generations at the "Mogami Thirty-Three Kannon Temples"
The "Mogami Thirty-Three Kannon" pilgrimage route tells the sad story of Hikarihime, the daughter of Yorimune, the fifth head of the Mogami family, who ruled the Mogami region
The story takes place during the Muromachi period (around 1400), when two warriors compete for the affections of the beautiful Princess Kōhime. The warrior who lusts after her is sentenced to death, and her beloved dies of illness, leading Kōhime to embark on a pilgrimage to the 33 Kannon temples
This journey is said to be the beginning of the "Mogami Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage," but there is also a theory that the "Mogami Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage" already existed at that time. (Reference:Mogami Yoshiaki Historical Museum)
The area where the "Mogami Thirty-Three Kannon" pilgrimage sites are scattered spans the Murayama region (which was called Mogami County during the Edo period) and the Mogami region (which was called Murayama County during the Edo period), centered around Shinjo City, and includes present-day Yamagata City, Murayama City, Sagae City, Obanazawa City, and Tendo City, all of which were part of the territory of the Mogami clan
The "Mogami Thirty-Three Kannon" pilgrimage begins at Wakamatsu Kannon (Wakamatsu Kannon) / Jakujoji Temple in Tendo City
Wakamatsu-ji Temple is the "Wakamatsu-sama" that is sung about in the Hanagasa Ondo song as "Congratulations, congratulations, Wakamatsu-sama . "
The second temple is [Yamadera/Senjuin (Yamagata City)], followed by the third temple [Senjudo/Kichijoin (Yamagata City)], and the pilgrimage ends with the 33rd temple [Niwatsuki/Getsuzouin (Ayukawa Village)], but an extra temple, [Yowoterasu/Tentokuji (Mogami Town)], is included
List of the Thirty-Three Kannon of Mogami
First temple on the pilgrimage route: Wakamatsu Kannon (Tendo City)
Second temple on the pilgrimage route: Yamadera (Yamagata City)
Third temple on the pilgrimage route: Senjudo Kannon (Yamagata City)
Fourth temple on the pilgrimage route: Ennoji Temple (Yamagata City)
Fifth temple on the pilgrimage route: Karamatsu Kannon (Yamagata City)
Temple No. 6: Hirashimizu Kannon (Yamagata City)
Temple No. 7: Iwanami Kannon (Yamagata City)
Temple No. 8: Mutsukunugi Kannon (Yamagata City)
Ninth temple on the pilgrimage route: Matsuo-san Kannon (Yamagata City)
The "Shonai Thirty-Three Kannon"consists of 33 temples plus a first temple and an extra temple, making a total of 35 temples.
The "Shonai 33 Kannon" pilgrimage begins with Kōtaku-ji Temple, which is said to have established thepilgrimage route. Shōzen-in Temple, the main temple of Kōtaku-ji Temple, is the first pilgrimage site. Themainly those of the Dewa Sanzan mountains, such as Dainichibō (the ninth pilgrimage site, in Tsuruoka City), Nangaku-ji Temple (the 29th pilgrimage site, in Tsuruoka City),Chūren-ji Temple (), as well as Kannon-ji Temple (in Sakata City) as an extra.
List of the Thirty-Three Kannon Temples of Shonai
First temple on the pilgrimage route: Arazawa-ji Temple (Tsuruoka City)
First temple on the pilgrimage route: Shōzen-in Temple (Tsuruoka City)
Second temple on the pilgrimage route: Kongojuin Temple (Tsuruoka City)
Third temple on the pilgrimage route: Zenkoji Temple (Yamagata Prefecture)
Temple No. 4: Chogenji Temple (Tsuruoka City)
Fifth temple on the pilgrimage route: Yōjuji Temple (Tsuruoka City)
*The original Kannon Hall is located some distance from the Nangaku-ji Temple grounds ("Nanokamachi Kannon Hall," Honmachi 2-chome, Tsuruoka City), but it is unmanned. Therefore, the pilgrimage site for the Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage is the Kannon Hall within the Nangaku-ji Temple grounds, and you can also receive a temple stamp there
Temple No. 31, Shimenji Temple (Tsuruoka City)
Sokushinbutsu Tetsumonkai Shōnin
The "Okitama Thirty-Three Kannon" statues are dedicated to the spirit of Naoe Kanetsugu
The "Okitama Thirty-Three Kannon" is said to have originated when Ofune- no-kata, a concubine of Naoe Kanetsugu, a senior retainer of Uesugi Kagekatsu, the first lord of the Yonezawa domain, established 33 sacred sites of Kannon in the Yonezawa region after Kanetsugu's death to mourn his spirit.
List of the Thirty-Three Kannon Temples of Okitama
First temple on the pilgrimage route: Kamikosuge Kannon (Yonezawa City / 400m to the stamp office / Mr. Gahiko's residence)
Second temple on the pilgrimage route: Takamine Kannon (Iide Town)
Third temple on the pilgrimage route: Kurosawa Kannon (Iide Town)
Fourth temple on the pilgrimage route: Nakamura Kannon (Iide Town / 2.4km to the stamp office / Nagaoka Residence)
Fifth temple: Kunomoto Kannon (Nagai City / Goshuin stamps are available at the 21st temple, Onogawa Kannon)
My love of travel led me to work for a travel magazine some time ago, and now I work as a travel writer for an online publication. I have visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, focusing on the Tohoku region, and I enjoy soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture, including old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts
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