Find Buddhist Spots
A connection with a Buddha image may appear unexpectedly. Search for places that may lead you to your own My Buddha.
Muryoji Temple (Kutamayama)
Buddhist Image Thirty-three Saigoku Kannon Stone Images Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県天草市久玉町1891
Visiting Status Outdoor statues on the temple grounds may be visited (behind the temple; confirm access hours in advance)
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On the slope behind Muryoji Temple stand 33 stone images associated with the Saigoku Thirty-three Kannon pilgrimage, arranged in tiers and still cared for through local offerings and prayers. They originally stood beside the old road connecting Kutama Hon-go and Nakanoura, where travelers and local residents stopped to worship. Road widening in the Showa period led to their relocation to the temple. Each stone depicts a different manifestation of Kannon, with weathered surfaces and moss reflecting the passage of time. The collection is designated a Tangible Cultural Property (sculpture) of Amakusa City. The images are outdoors, but visitors should confirm when the rear grounds can be entered.
Former Endaiji Temple (Yakushi Hall)
Buddhist Image Yakushi Nyorai, Twelve Divine Generals and Niō Guardians (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tathagata / Deva
熊本県熊本市北区植木町円台寺
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (Kumamoto City's tourism guide lists the statues as viewable, but hall opening hours are unconfirmed)
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At the former grounds of Endaiji, traditionally considered a branch temple of Enryakuji on Mount Hiei, a Yakushi Hall still preserves an image of Yakushi Nyorai, the Twelve Divine Generals who protect the Medicine Buddha, and the Agyo and Ungyo Niō guardians. According to an interpretation board installed by the former Ueki Town Board of Education, the central Buddha is thought to date to the Muromachi period, while the Divine Generals and Niō are believed to be Edo-period works. Together, the warrior-like figures convey the long history of Buddhist devotion in the area. Kumamoto City's official guide describes the images as a sight to visit, but opening hours for the hall should be checked beforehand.
Enshoji Temple (Butsunichizan)
Buddhist Image Stone Niō Guardian (Open-mouthed Agyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
熊本県天草市栖本町湯船原1055
Visiting Status Normally viewable at the entrance to the grounds (outdoors; confirm visiting hours in advance)
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At the foot of the stone steps leading to Enshoji Temple in Sumoto stands a single Niō guardian approximately 2.5 meters tall, carved from local Shimonoura sandstone. Niō usually guard temple gates as a pair, but only the open-mouthed Agyo figure stands here, its weathered stone form making a powerful impression. One of the few large stone Niō guardians in Amakusa, it is designated a Tangible Cultural Property (sculpture) of Amakusa City. The temple is also associated with the former district magistrate's office from the era of the Shimabara-Amakusa uprising. The outdoor statue is visible from the approach. Its sculptor and date of creation have not been established.
Aso San Saigandenji Okunoin
Buddhist Image Juichimen Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県阿蘇市黒川字阿蘇山1809
Visiting Status Normally accessible for worship (sunrise to sunset, free; closure possible due to weather or volcanic restrictions; confirm whether the principal image itself can be viewed directly)
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Saigandenji Okunoin stands near the crater of Mount Aso and preserves a tradition of mountain Buddhist practice and prayers to calm volcanic eruptions. According to temple tradition, the site originated when the monk Saiei enshrined an Eleven-faced Kannon in the eighth century. Its mountain-top hall, damaged by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and subsequent volcanic activity, was rebuilt in August 2022. The Eleven-faced Kanzeon is worshipped here through Goen Musubi, a practice of tying one of five colored prayer cords linked to the Bodhisattva's hand. Worship in front of the hall is normally free, although weather and volcanic restrictions may cause closures. Visitors should confirm whether the image itself can be viewed up close.
Osaka Cliff-carved Buddhas (Nobeta Couple Jizo)
Buddhist Image Cliff-carved Bosatsu, Thought to Be Jizo Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県山鹿市小坂字野辺田
Visiting Status Normally viewable outdoors (on a Yamaga City footpath; take care near roads and uneven ground)
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Two cliff faces opposite each other at the entrance to Osaka's Nobeta settlement bear carved Buddhist figures known as the Nobeta Couple Jizo. On the northern side, a roughly three-meter-tall Bodhisattva is carved into a cliff about twenty meters high. Traces of red pigment on the jewel suggest that the figure represents Jizo. An inscription is said to date to 1789. The images have long been associated with prayers to keep misfortune and illness from entering the settlement and to protect travelers. They form part of an approximately two-kilometer walking route promoted by Yamaga City, where the northern carving can be viewed outdoors. No cultural-property designation has been confirmed.
Shimouchino Kumano Shrine (Mitake Kannon)
Buddhist Image Cliff-carved Kannon Bosatsu Images Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県天草市五和町手野2丁目1479
Visiting Status Outdoor worship possible (follow the hillside trail beside the shrine; steep and slippery with fallen leaves; check conditions)
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On the hill behind Shimouchino Kumano Shrine, long revered as a place of mountain Buddhist practice, Kannon figures are carved directly into rock faces. The Amakusa branch of the Kumamoto Shrine Association specifically describes three cliff carvings, while a local sign reportedly refers to 33 figures on rocks across the hillside. Inscriptions at the site are said to record completion in 1800, work by three stonecarvers from Shimonoura, and a commission by Taikan of Tomyoji Temple. The Kannon Hall on the hill is said to have been founded in 1912. These rare Amakusa carvings preserve traces of the blending of Buddhist and Shinto worship. They can be reached on foot from beside the shrine, but the trail is steep and may be slippery.
Myogon-in Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Bishamonten Category Tenbu (Deva)
熊本県八代市興善寺町1819
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (Yatsushiro City lists a ¥200 viewing fee; ask the temple about repository opening days and hours)
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The wooden standing Bishamonten preserved in Myogon-in's repository is a nationally Important Cultural Property, thought to have been carved in the eleventh century during the late Heian period. The 142.4 cm figure is made from a single piece of camphor wood. Although both hands are missing, the strongly modeled face and details of its chest and abdominal armor retain the work's original force. The temple occupies the former site of Kozenji, which flourished from the late Nara through Heian periods, and the statue is considered a rare surviving relic of that temple. Yatsushiro City lists a ¥200 viewing fee and contact details; visitors should verify repository access and hours beforehand.
Fukunokami Daikokuten (Fukunokami Jizoson Daibosatsu)
Buddhist Image Stone Image of Fukunokami Daikokuten Category Tenbu (Deva)
熊本県阿蘇市小里455
Visiting Status Normally open for worship (year-round, outdoors; amulet counter generally around 9:00–16:00)
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Fukunokami Daikokuten in the Ozato area of Aso is a stone image discovered underground in 1995 during landscaping near a historic grave associated with Kato Umanojo. The image is estimated to be approximately 350 years old, dating to the Edo period. It is cherished for its unusual appearance, seated on rice bales and seeming to count lottery slips with both hands. A small shrine is said to have been built to house it in 2000. Visitors now pray here for financial luck, business success and health. This outdoor place of worship is featured in Aso City's official tourist information and can be visited year-round.
Senkozan Shozenin Temple (Cat Temple)
Buddhist Image Thousand-armed Kannon and Amida Nyorai Images Category Bodhisattva / Tathagata
熊本県球磨郡水上村大字岩野3542
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (grounds normally open 9:00–17:00; ask the temple about viewing the hall interior and images)
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Shozenin, a Shingon temple affectionately known as the Cat Temple, was built to pacify spirits associated with a legendary supernatural cat incident involving the Sagara family in the early Edo period. According to temple tradition, a Kannon Hall was built in 1625 to console the spirits of the wrongfully executed monk Seiyo, his mother Kugetsu Zenjo and her beloved cat. A Thousand-armed Kannon was enshrined as an image representing the mother, and an Amida Nyorai as an image representing the monk. The thatched, hipped-roof Kannon Hall retains a shrine cabinet and altar adorned with gold leaf and colored carvings and is a nationally Important Cultural Property as a building. Its pair of cat guardians at the gate is another attraction. The grounds can normally be visited from 9:00 to 17:00, but interior access and statue viewing should be confirmed with the temple.
Ugedo Rakan Mountain
Buddhist Image Stone Seated Shaka Nyorai, Kannon and Sixteen Rakan Category Tathagata / Bodhisattva / Other
熊本県阿蘇郡高森町高森
Visiting Status Normally accessible by hiking the mountain path (open rock grotto; confirm conditions and access hours in advance)
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On the foothills of Mount Aso's southern outer rim, Ugedo Rakan Mountain contains a natural rock grotto enshrining eighteen stone Buddhist figures: a seated Shaka Nyorai, a Kannon and sixteen Rakan. The site is reached by following a mountain trail from Bessho Spring. A local legend tells how the figure Kihachi, pursued by the deity of Aso, kicked through the rock wall to escape. The Takamori Town Board of Education describes a Rakan festival held on the sixteenth day of the third lunar month and a long history of pilgrimage. The grotto and its images form a place of mountain worship open to visitors willing to hike, with care needed on rocky ground and in poor weather.
Yamakita Hachimangu Shrine
Buddhist Image Two Stone Niō Guardian Figures Category Tenbu (Deva)
熊本県玉名郡玉東町白木1376
Visiting Status Normally viewable on the shrine grounds (outdoors; confirm visiting hours)
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Two stone Niō guardian figures, each over two meters tall, stand behind and to the left of the main sanctuary of Yamakita Hachimangu Shrine. In the era when Buddhist and Shinto worship were intertwined, the figures reportedly stood near the gate, but they were moved farther into the grounds during the suppression of Buddhism in the early Meiji period. According to local tradition, they were donated in 1792 by a blind biwa musician who was ill and wished to be reborn with a strong body. A distinctive belief holds that placing one's head between the figures' legs helps ward off colds. They are preserved as a designated cultural property of Gyokuto Town and can be worshipped outdoors on the grounds.
Kosenji Inner Sanctuary (Shodaisan Shakain)
Buddhist Image Great Seated Shaka Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
熊本県玉名市山田
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (reports describe access on foot via a mountain path; current opening, trail safety and visiting hours unverified)
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On a slope of Mount Shodai stands a colossal seated Shaka Nyorai whose body is formed in part by the mountainside itself. It is said to have been built in 1979 by the then head priest of Kosenji Temple after approximately ten years of work, in memory of those who died in war. Including its base, the figure extends about 38.5 meters in length and 18 meters in width, with a face more than seven meters high. Various stone Buddhist figures line the approach, and Shaka's face appears beyond the trees in a striking landscape. Recent visitor reports describe walking to the site, but the trail is difficult to locate, so current access and safety conditions should be checked.
Senkoji Kannon Hall
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Eleven-faced Kannon, Four Heavenly Kings and Thousand-armed Kannon Category Bodhisattva / Deva
熊本県阿蘇郡南小国町赤馬場2267
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (grounds accessible; check if the hall opens for direct viewing of the statues)
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Senkoji Kannon Hall is the 22nd site on the Oguni Thirty-three Kannon pilgrimage and is revered as Koyasu Kannon by those praying for children. The hall houses a wooden standing Eleven-faced Kannon approximately 164 cm tall, statues of the Four Heavenly Kings and an image of the Thousand-armed Kannon. The Eleven-faced Kannon, carved from a single piece of cypress in the late Heian period, and two of the Heavenly Kings are designated Important Cultural Properties of Kumamoto Prefecture. An inscription dated 1175 is reported on the Thousand-armed Kannon's halo. A stone monument in the grounds bears the date 1144, reflecting Kannon devotion extending back to the end of the Heian period. Confirm access to the hall before visiting.
Wataruzan Shorin-in Tofukuji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Eleven-faced Thousand-armed Kannon, Fudo Myo-o and Bishamonten Category Bodhisattva / Wisdom King / Deva
熊本県菊池市亘406
Visiting Status Temple grounds accessible; confirm whether and when the designated statues in the main hall may be viewed
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At this Tendai temple in Kikuchi City, an approximately 177-centimeter-tall wooden Eleven-faced Thousand-armed Kannon stands in the central shrine of the main hall, flanked by images of Fudo Myoo and Bishamonten. All three are Important Cultural Properties designated by Kumamoto Prefecture. The Kannon is a late-Heian-period sculpture carved from a single cypress trunk, noted for its full-bodied proportions and flowing folds of cloth. Fudo carries a three-pronged sword and a lasso, while Bishamonten stands upon a demon; both reflect early Muromachi-period styles. The temple is also the first station of the Kikuchi Thirty-three Kannon pilgrimage. Visitors may approach the grounds, but access to the statues inside the shrine must be confirmed in advance.
Sue Aso Shakado Hall
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Shaka Nyorai, Two Heavenly Kings, Monju Bosatsu on a Lion and Fugen Bosatsu on an Elephant Category Tathagata / Bodhisattva / Deva
熊本県球磨郡あさぎり町須恵3449-1
Visiting Status Advance confirmation required (normal interior access unconfirmed; the Shaka and two Heavenly Kings are exhibited at Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art, October 9–November 29, 2026)
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Sue Aso Shakado preserves a late-Heian-period seated wooden Shaka Buddha, paired with images of Monju Bodhisattva and Fugen Bodhisattva dating to the Kamakura period and two Heavenly Kings. The central Shaka and the guardian statues were designated National Important Cultural Properties in September 2025. An inscription found inside one of the guardians gives the year 1152, making the group particularly significant for studying regional Buddhist sculpture of the Heian period. The modest hall stands on the site of the former Byodoji Temple and its statues have been protected by local residents. Normal entry to view the figures must be confirmed. Through November 29, 2026, the Shaka and two Heavenly Kings are on display at the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art and cannot be seen in the hall.
Kurokawa Jizo Hall (Kurokawa Jizoson)
Buddhist Image Migawari Jizo (Jizo Bosatsu Image Surviving as a Head) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県阿蘇郡南小国町満願寺6612-2
Visiting Status Free admission and open for visits (steps to the hall; use Kurokawa Onsen area parking)
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At the foot of Igozaka Hill in Kurokawa Onsen stands a small hall housing the Migawari Jizo, a Jizo Bodhisattva image preserved in the form of a head. According to local legend, a son stole a melon to feed his sick father, and the Jizo took the son's place and was beheaded. The head was later brought to Kurokawa and enshrined after it was said to ask to remain here. Hot springs are believed to have begun flowing afterward, making the Jizo a symbol of Kurokawa Onsen's origins. Visitors today offer their used hot-spring bathing passes at the hall and can worship the image free of charge.
Former Chokokuji Temple Kannon Hall (Obase Kannon)
Buddhist Image Juichimen Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県宇城市小川町中小野
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (past visitors reported being able to view the image; current opening arrangements should be checked with Uki City)
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A wooden standing Eleven-faced Kannon known affectionately as Obase Kannon is enshrined in a small hall at the former Chokokuji Temple site in Uki City. Approximately 130 cm tall, the statue is thought to date to the late Kamakura period and is built from joined pieces of cypress with fine detailing reminiscent of sandalwood Buddhist images. Color survives on the hair, eyes and lips; its lifelike face and intricately folded lower garment reveal the carving style of its era. Designated an Important Cultural Property by Kumamoto Prefecture, the statue has long been cherished by local residents. Earlier visitor reports indicate that the image could be viewed, but current access to the hall should be checked beforehand.
Kumamoto City Tsukawara Museum of History and Folklore
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Horse-headed Kannon from Chijiya Temple Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県熊本市南区城南町塚原1924
Visiting Status Normally on display; open 9:00–16:30, closed Mondays (or the following day after a holiday) and year-end holidays; adults ¥200. Confirm temporary display changes.
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Inside the Tsukawara Kofun Park, the museum normally displays a wooden standing Horse-headed Kannon preserved from Chijiya Temple in Higashi-Ako, Jonan. Thought to date to the Heian period, the approximately 75 cm tall figure was carved from a single block of cypress and represents the distinctive form of Kannon associated with the protection of horses important to farming. The statue is designated an Important Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture. Every year on the second Sunday of July it returns to its home temple for a local festival. The museum reopened on November 1, 2026, after an earthquake-related closure. As the statue may be absent for the festival or exhibition changes, confirm before visiting.
Honmyoji Temple
Buddhist Image Pair of Stone Niō Guardians (Agyo and Ungyo, with Kannon Images on Their Backs) Category Tenbu (Deva)
熊本県熊本市西区花園4-13-1
Visiting Status Normally viewable from the outdoor temple approach (free); damage from the 2016 earthquake and restoration work may affect the view
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Two stone Niō guardians stand on either side of the steps before the main temple gate on the approach to Honmyoji. Carved from andesite in 1847, the open-mouthed Agyo and closed-mouthed Ungyo are each approximately two meters tall and unusually bear carved Kannon images on their backs. They were made by stoneworkers Kijuuro and Daisaku under master stonemason Danji of Shimazaki and donated by local merchants. Believed to protect people's legs and backs, they still receive offerings of footwear. Historical photographs and writings by Lafcadio Hearn suggest they have remained at their original site. They were designated Tangible Cultural Properties of Kumamoto City on November 29, 2024. The statues were damaged by the 2016 earthquake, so visitors should confirm their current restoration condition.
Former Ryufukuji Kannon Hall (Beside Izanagi Shrine)
Buddhist Image Senju Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県熊本市北区立福寺町1313
Visiting Status The grounds are normally accessible; the inner shrine was locked in 2025, although the image could be glimpsed. It is featured in the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art exhibition, October 9–November 29, 2026, so it may be absent. Confirm before visiting.
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Beside the entrance to Izanagi Shrine stands a small Kannon Hall housing an image that was once the principal deity of Ryufukuji Temple. The wooden standing Thousand-armed Kannon measures approximately 170 cm tall and 110 cm across the spread of its arms. Carved from joined cypress pieces in the mid-to-late Muromachi period, it is a Tangible Cultural Property designated by Kumamoto City. The image preserves a trace of the former Ryufukuji, traditionally associated with Kanokogi Jakushin. In 2025, a visiting reporter could glimpse it through an opening in the locked inner enclosure, but access should be confirmed with the caretakers. As it is featured in a prefectural museum exhibition through November 29, 2026, confirm whether it has returned before visiting the hall.