Find Buddhist Spots
A connection with a Buddha image may appear unexpectedly. Search for places that may lead you to your own My Buddha.
Shorenzan Shojoin
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
山形県村山市小松沢6500
Visiting Status Normally open; pilgrimage site generally 8:00–17:00, sometimes closing at 16:00 from October onward; confirm direct viewing of the principal image
MysterySolemnityStillness
Komatsuzawa Kannon Hall stands deep in the mountains of Murayama as the 20th temple of the Mogami 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. It enshrines Sho Kannon Bosatsu, traditionally attributed to Gyoki, and, together with Amida Nyorai and Yakushi Nyorai, has long been revered as a group of three gongen. Beyond about 1.5 kilometers of mountain trail and 164 stone steps is a quiet, solemn hall filled with mukasari ema. In the deep greenery far from the village, visitors can encounter Kannon’s compassion and the prayers preserved in the mountains over generations.
Fudosan Honmyoji Temple
Buddhist Image Honmyokai Shonin (Sokushinbutsu) Category Other
山形県鶴岡市東岩本字内野388
Visiting Status Reservation required / Apply by phone between 9:00 and 17:00 / Admission ¥500; free for high-school students and younger
MysteryDepthTense Presence
Honmyoji in Higashiiwamoto, Tsuruoka, preserves the living tradition of Mt. Yudono worship and enshrines Honmyokai Shonin, who became a sokushinbutsu through severe ascetic disciplines, including mokujiki dietary practice and abstention from grains. He is considered the oldest of the six surviving sokushinbutsu in the Shonai region and remains in comparatively well-preserved condition. Beside the Sokushinbutsu Hall is a nyujo mound said to mark the place where he entered final meditation underground. Surrounded by deep cedar woods, the temple offers a quiet encounter with an ascetic’s resolve to seek salvation for others and the depth of Yudono faith.
Ganryuzan Zokoin
Buddhist Image Komyokai Shonin (Sokushinbutsu) Category Other
山形県西置賜郡白鷹町黒鴨544-1
Visiting Status Reservation required / No viewing during memorial or funeral services; confirm by phone in advance
MysteryDepthStillness
Zokoin, set in the mountains of Kurogamo in Shirataka, enshrines the sokushinbutsu of Mt. Yudono ascetic Komyokai Shonin. According to local tradition, he entered final meditation after leaving instructions that he should be exhumed one hundred years later so that he might become a sokushinbutsu, and he was later exhumed in accordance with that tradition. In the quiet Main Hall surrounded by a mountain stream and deep greenery, visitors can confront the ascetic’s resolve to seek salvation for others and a distinctive faith preserved in the Okitama region.
Sabaneyama Jizoson
Buddhist Image Jizo Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
山形県最上郡舟形町舟形境の峰2981
Visiting Status Seasonal viewing / Late April to late November, 9:00–16:00 / In winter, open only December 31–January 3
PowerWarmthPeacefulness
Enshrined near the summit of Mt. Sabane close to the border of Funagata and Obanazawa, Sabaneyama Jizoson is counted among Japan’s Three Great Jizo sites. The principal image is a tiny Jizo Bosatsu, about 5.8 centimeters tall, said to have been worn on the helmet of the warrior Shinzemon Numazawa as a guardian image. Worshipers pray here for good relationships, children, safe childbirth, longevity, and good health, and the site is also the final stop of the Mogami 48 Jizo Pilgrimage. In the quiet mountain hall, visitors can feel the protective power entrusted to this small image and the wishes carried forward by generations.
Chomeizan Kotokuin
Buddhist Image Thousand-Armed Thousand-Eyed Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
山形県米沢市笹野本町5686-5
Visiting Status Normally open; temple grounds free to enter; confirm direct viewing of the principal image
GentlenessRefinementSolemnity
Surrounded by cedar trees in Sasano, Yonezawa, Sasano Kannon Hall is the 19th temple of the Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and enshrines a Thousand-Armed Thousand-Eyed Kannon Bosatsu. The present hall was rebuilt in 1843 by Narinori, the 13th head of the Uesugi family, and is notable for its thick thatched roof and elaborate carvings covering the outer sanctuary and entrance canopy. Around 2,000 hydrangeas brighten the grounds in early summer, and the temple is closely connected with the local tradition of Sasano Ittobori woodcarving. The site brings together Kannon’s compassion and the powerful, splendid craftsmanship of Okitama artisans.
Fumonzan Kannonji Temple
Buddhist Image Eleven-Faced Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
山形県長井市九野本2047
Visiting Status Normally open; confirm direct viewing of the principal image
GentlenessPowerStillness
Kunomoto Kannon Hall in Nagai is the fifth temple of the Okitama 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. Its principal image is a standing Eleven-Faced Kannon Bosatsu about 1.5 meters tall, traditionally said to have been carved from a sacred tree by Dengyo Daishi during the Heian period. After the hall was destroyed by fire, the image is said to have been discovered among the ruins, and it has been worshiped as a Kannon who wards off epidemics and misfortune and brings good fortune. In the quiet cedar-shaded grounds, visitors can feel Kannon’s compassion and the protective force of prayers that have survived disaster.
Hoshakuin
Buddhist Image Eleven-Faced Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
山形県山形市大字鮨洗136
Visiting Status Special openings only / Usually January 1 and August 10 / Normally closed; check before visiting
NobilityGentlenessStillness
Hoshakuin’s Kannon Hall enshrines a standing Eleven-Faced Kannon Bosatsu from the early Heian period, designated a Important Cultural Property. Though only about 51.5 centimeters tall, the refined ichiboku-zukuri figure was carved from a single piece of kaya wood together with its pedestal, and is distinguished by flowing drapery and an expression of graceful dignity. Unusually, the topmost Buddha image on the eleven-faced crown is represented not merely by a face but with its upper body. During the limited special openings, visitors can encounter the refined beauty and quiet compassion of early Heian Buddhist sculpture.
Juroku Rakan Iwa (Sixteen Arhats Rock)
Buddhist Image Juroku Rakan Iwa (22 rock-carved Buddhist figures) Category Other
山形県飽海郡遊佐町吹浦字西楯
Visiting Status Open-air site; free to visit (access via the walking path from the parking area in front of Sunset Juroku Rakan)
MysteryDepthSolemnity
A group of 22 rock-carved Buddhist figures on an andesite reef along the Sea of Japan coast at Fukuura in Yuza Town, formed from lava that flowed from Mount Chokai. In 1864, Kankai, the 21st abbot of Kaizenji Temple in Fukuura, initiated the project to pray for fishermen who had lost their lives in the rough waters of the Sea of Japan, for maritime safety, for the flourishing of Buddhism, and for the salvation of all beings. Directing local stonemasons, he completed the carvings five years later in 1868. The group consists of the Sixteen Arhats together with Shaka Nyorai, Monju Bosatsu, Fugen Bosatsu, Kannon, Shariputra, and Maudgalyayana, for a total of 22 figures. It is regarded as the only rock-carved Buddhist group of this scale on the Sea of Japan coast. The site can be visited outdoors free of charge, and prayers for maritime safety are still offered at the annual Juroku Rakan Festival each July.
Yokoyama Fudoson (Daitokuji Temple)
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Fudo Myo-o Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
宮城県登米市津山町横山字本町3
Visiting Status Advance application required to view the Wooden Seated Fudo Myoo
PowerDignityTense Presence
The Wooden Seated Fudo Myoo is enshrined in the Fudo Hall at Yokoyama Fudoson in Tsuyama, Tome City. Measuring 275 cm high, it is a large Heian-period image made of katsura wood using joined-block construction. Few parts have been altered, and details including the fingers of both hands and the sword in the right hand preserve much of the original form. It was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1997. The use of katsura wood, common in Tohoku Buddhist sculpture, suggests a local sculptor skilled in monumental images and makes the statue important for understanding Buddhist production under the Oshu Fujiwara clan. Long revered as “Yokoyama no Ofudosama,” Yokoyama Fudoson is counted among Japan’s Three Great Fudo sites. Advance application is required to view the statue.
Sorinji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Yakushi Ruriko Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
宮城県栗原市築館薬師台1-1
Visiting Status Normally closed to the public (unveiled every May 8–9, 9:00–16:00; last admission 15:30; no reservation required; admission 300 yen)
PowerRefinementDepth
Sorinji Temple in Tsukidate, Kurihara City, preserves a seated Yakushi Ruriko Nyorai. Carved almost entirely in the round from a single block of keyaki wood, the statue is about 121 cm high. Its broad shoulders and substantial body create a powerful presence, while the flowing robe folds and gentle expression add calm refinement. Believed to date to the mid-Heian period, around the 10th century, it is an early example among Tohoku’s many keyaki Buddhist images and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Sorinji is traditionally said to have been founded in 757, and this Yakushi has been revered for more than a thousand years as “Sugi Yakushi.” It is normally closed to the public but can be viewed during the annual unveiling of cultural properties on May 8 and 9.
Kozoji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
宮城県角田市高倉字寺前49
Visiting Status Advance contact required (viewing inside the Amida Hall; 500 yen for individuals)
SolemnityNobilityDepth
A wooden seated Amida Nyorai is enshrined as the principal image of the Amida Hall at Kozoji Temple in Takakura, Kakuda City. The monumental joroku-scale statue is made of joined keyaki wood and finished with lacquer and gold leaf. It stands 272.7 cm high and reaches 5.18 m including the cloud-shaped halo behind it. It is thought to have been created around 1178, the year after the Amida Hall was built in 1177, and tradition also says that Fujiwara no Hidehira and his wife commissioned it. Its elegant face, long narrow eyes, and flowing robe folds show the transition from late-Heian grace to the more powerful expression of the Kamakura period. Designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, the image has been revered for more than 800 years. Advance inquiry is required to view it inside the hall.
Rinnoji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Shaka Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
宮城県仙台市青葉区北山1丁目14-1
Visiting Status Unveiled on the 1st and 15th of each month (garden 8:00–17:00, last admission 16:30; admission 300 yen)
RefinementStillnessNobility
Rinnoji Temple in Kitayama, Sendai, preserves a seated Shaka Nyorai enshrined in the three-story pagoda within its Zen garden. The 33.4 cm image is made of joined hinoki cypress with crystal eyes; gold pigment is applied inside the body, and the robe is covered with gold leaf. It was created in 1664, and a red-ink inscription on the bottom board identifies the sculptor as the master Buddhist sculptor Hokyo Sonin Shigetsugu. The robe is decorated with diagonal lattice and floral-diamond patterns in green pigment, and the figure sits in a balanced, refined posture with both hands forming the hokkai-join meditation mudra on its lap. A Tangible Cultural Property of Sendai City, it is normally closed to the public but is unveiled on the 1st and 15th of every month.
Enryuji Temple
Buddhist Image Standing Yakushi Nyorai (Toho Ruriko Nyorai) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
宮城県柴田郡柴田町入間田寺35
Visiting Status Viewing available (9:00–16:00; ask the temple to unveil the image; advance contact recommended because viewing is unavailable when the priest or deputy priest is absent)
GentlenessStillnessDepth
Enryuji Temple in Irumada, Shibata Town, preserves a standing wooden Yakushi Nyorai. The 79.4 cm image is carved from a single block of katsura wood and left unpainted. Although the hands, part of the right shoulder, and the tips of both feet are missing, its childlike, gentle face and simple, direct modeling of the body remain distinctive. Originally the principal image of the Mokurenji Yakushi Hall on the hill behind the temple, it was moved to Enryuji in 1908. The statue dates to the Muromachi period, and the temple identifies it as a work made by Shuryu in 1415. Designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Miyagi Prefecture, it has long been revered together with the Twelve Heavenly Generals. Visitors may ask the temple to unveil it between 9:00 and 16:00; advance contact is recommended.
Osaki City Tajiri General Branch Office
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Thousand-Armed Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
宮城県大崎市田尻沼部字富岡183-3
Visiting Status Open to the public (9:00–16:00; closed Mondays, or the following day if Monday is a holiday; closed Dec 29–Jan 3; free admission)
NobilityStillnessSolemnity
This wooden seated Thousand-Armed Kannon Bosatsu has long been preserved in the Komatsu area of Tajiri, Osaki City. It is said to have been the principal image of Komatsu-dera, a temple mentioned in the Nihon Ojo Gokurakuki, and was moved to a neighboring Yakushi Hall in the early Meiji period. Made in the latter half of the 12th century, near the end of the Heian period, its style has been compared with Buddhist images at Chusonji Konjikido associated with Motohira, the second lord of the Oshu Fujiwara clan. Distinctive features include double eyelids and an unusual hairstyle loosely tied at the back. Designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, it is now displayed in a climate-controlled viewing room inside the Tajiri General Branch Office, where visitors can see the original statue without reservation.
Mutsu Kokubunji Temple
Buddhist Image Yakushi Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
宮城県仙台市若林区木ノ下3丁目8-1
Visiting Status Hidden image (unveiled every February 11 during the Nanokado Shushoe ceremony)
MysterySolemnityDepth
Yakushi Nyorai is enshrined as the hidden principal image of the Yakushi Hall at Mutsu Kokubunji in Wakabayashi Ward, Sendai. Mutsu Kokubunji was founded in the Nara period under Emperor Shomu’s decree establishing provincial temples. The present Yakushi Hall was rebuilt by Date Masamune in 1607 on the former site of the ancient lecture hall. Yakushi Nyorai is enshrined inside a zushi on the shumidan altar, flanked by Nikko and Gakko Bosatsu. The doors are normally kept closed, but the principal image is unveiled every February 11 during the Nanokado Shushoe ceremony. As the temple’s principal image, it carries forward a tradition of faith dating back to ancient Mutsu Kokubunji and receives prayers for recovery from illness and good health.
Ryuhoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Shaka Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
宮城県仙台市青葉区八幡4丁目8-32
Visiting Status Open only on designated dates (unveiled during temple events; in 2026 it was shown at the Flower Festival on April 5; future dates should be confirmed in advance)
NobilityRefinementDepth
Ryuhoji Temple in Hachiman, Aoba Ward, Sendai, enshrines a wooden standing Shaka Nyorai as its principal image. It is a Seiryoji-style Shaka, faithfully modeled on the National Treasure Shaka Nyorai at Seiryoji in Kyoto, and dates to the early Kamakura period. Made of joined hinoki cypress, the statue stands 160.3 cm high. Its rope-like hair and concentric robe folds on the chest preserve the distinctive foreign-influenced features of Seiryoji-style sculpture. An inscription inside the head records repairs in 1523. Originally enshrined at Fukuoji in Kanari, Kurihara District, it was moved to Ryuhoji by Date Tsunamura, fourth lord of the Sendai Domain, during the Genroku era. An Important Cultural Property of Japan, it has long been revered as the “Shusse Nyorai,” “Gankake Nyorai,” and “Kosodate Nyorai.”
Jifukuin Kannon Hall (Kyubunhama Eleven-Faced Kannon Hall)
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Eleven-Faced Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
宮城県石巻市給分浜後山
Visiting Status Advance reservation required (published guidance: 9:00–16:00, closed in rain; confirm current conditions before visiting)
PowerDignityDepth
The wooden standing Eleven-Faced Kannon Bosatsu is the principal image of Jifukuin Kannon Hall in Kyubunhama, Ishinomaki. At 273.6 cm high, it is a monumental statue with an archaic structure: the face and torso are carved from kaya wood, the back is hollowed out, and a separately carved rear section is joined to it. Broad shoulders, a thick waist, and a powerful masculine expression give the image an imposing presence. It is regarded as an important work dating to the early Kamakura period. Originally left unpainted, it was repainted during restorations from the Muromachi period onward. Designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1915, it has long stood at the center of Kannon devotion in Kyubunhama on the Oshika Peninsula. Advance reservation is required to view the original image.
Daikoin Temple
Buddhist Image Four Iron Seated Amida Nyorai Statues (Asekaki Nyorai) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
宮城県柴田郡柴田町西船迫1丁目12-12
Visiting Status Viewing available (individuals do not need reservations; groups require reservations; the hall is normally locked, so confirm on site)
MysteryDepthDignity
Daikoin Temple in Nishi-Funasako, Shibata Town, preserves four iron seated Amida Nyorai known as the “Asekaki Nyorai” (“Sweating Nyorai”). Each is about 82 cm high and bears an inscription dated 1266 in the Kamakura period. Tradition says they were originally cast as the Five Wisdom Buddhas—Dainichi, Ashuku, Hosho, Muryoju, and Fukujoju—but Dainichi has been lost, leaving four images today. They are called “Asekaki Nyorai” because local tradition says droplets appear on the statues like sweat when trouble is about to befall the village. Long revered by the community, they are now housed in a concrete hall designed with fire protection in mind, and the group is designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Miyagi Prefecture.
Hoshoji Temple
Buddhist Image Joroku Seated Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
宮城県刈田郡蔵王町大字平沢字諏訪舘28-1
Visiting Status Viewing available without reservation (free; please notify the temple before viewing)
SolemnityPeacefulnessDepth
Hoshoji Temple in Hirasawa, Zao Town, preserves a monumental joroku-scale seated Amida Nyorai. The statue is 288 cm high and 379 cm overall, and is made of keyaki wood. It is thought to have originally been the principal image of Anyoji Temple in Hirasawa; the front portions of the head and chest retain late-Heian-period carving. Its full, gentle face resembles the Amida Nyorai on the Kiyohira altar in Chusonji Konjikido and conveys the Buddhist culture that spread through Oshu at the end of the Heian period. Major repairs in 1718 replaced many parts other than the head and chest, as well as the pedestal and halo. After Anyoji was abolished in the early Meiji period, the image was protected at several locations before being enshrined at Hoshoji. It is a Tangible Cultural Property of Miyagi Prefecture and can be viewed without reservation after notifying the temple.
Shomyoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Amida Nyorai (Kuro Honzon) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
宮城県亘理郡亘理町字旭山1
Visiting Status Normally closed to the public (opened every January 16 and August 13)
RefinementNobilityDepth
Shomyoji Temple on Mt. Asahi in Watari Town preserves a wooden standing Amida Nyorai as its principal image. The roughly 94 cm statue is made of joined hinoki cypress with crystal eyes and dates to the Kamakura period. Its balanced body, carefully shaped brows and eyes, and flowing robe folds show the influence of Kaikei’s style. The gold pigment on the surface darkened over the centuries, giving rise to the affectionate name “Kuro Honzon,” or Black Principal Image. It was originally the principal image of Komyoin, associated with the Watari clan, and is traditionally said to have been presented to Chiba Tsunetane by Minamoto no Yoritomo. The image remained in the area after the Watari clan moved to Wakuya and later became Shomyoji’s principal image. A Tangible Cultural Property of Miyagi Prefecture, it is unveiled twice a year on January 16 and August 13.