Find Buddhist Spots
A connection with a Buddha image may appear unexpectedly. Search for places that may lead you to your own My Buddha.
Nagaoka Hyakuana
Buddhist Image Kannon Images (Nagaoka Hyakuana) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
栃木県宇都宮市長岡町550
Visiting Status Open for free viewing
MysteryDepthStillness
Nagaoka Hyakuana is a group of 52 rock-cut chambers arranged on the southern slope of the Utsunomiya hills. Each chamber, about 1 m high and wide, was excavated as a tomb, and Kannon images and other figures are carved on the rear walls. Utsunomiya’s official tourism site introduces the site as a Tochigi Prefecture-designated cultural property and also records a tradition that Kobo Daishi carved the images in a single night. The combination of rock-cut chambers and Buddhist carvings creates a distinctive setting, and visitors can view the Kannon images carved on the rear walls. Viewing is free, free parking is available, and the site is reachable from JR Utsunomiya Station by bus and a short walk.
Terayama Kannonji Temple
Buddhist Image Bronze Seated Dainichi Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
栃木県矢板市長井1875
Visiting Status Open to general visitors (no advance reservation required / free)
DignityNobilitySolemnity
Terayama Kannonji Temple preserves a bronze seated Dainichi Nyorai. According to official Yaita City information, this gilt-bronze image of Dainichi Nyorai was made in 1783 and was designated a Tangible Cultural Property (sculpture) of Tochigi Prefecture in 1975. Yaita City's official tourism information lists it among the designated cultural properties that can be viewed by the general public at the temple, and Tochigi's official tourism site states that no advance reservation is required and admission is free.
Shogonji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Fudo Myo-o and Wooden Standing Bishamonten Category Wisdom King / Deva
栃木県真岡市寺内75
Visiting Status Open to the public
PowerDignityTense Presence
Shogonji Temple preserves wooden standing images of Fudo Myoo and Bishamonten. Tochigi Prefecture describes them as outstanding examples from the early Muromachi period. The Fudo image is 81.9 cm high and the Bishamonten image 82.5 cm high. Both are made of hinoki cypress and have inset crystal eyes. Fudo stands before a flame halo holding a lasso and sword in a wrathful form, while Bishamonten raises a pagoda and stands trampling a jaki. Their upturned brows and strong, resolute facial expressions are distinctive. They were designated Tangible Cultural Properties of Tochigi Prefecture in 1999, and prefectural cultural-property information lists them as open to the public.
Seirinji Temple
Buddhist Image Shaka Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
栃木県鹿沼市末広町1170
Visiting Status Always viewable from the temple grounds (free)
SolemnityWarmthPeacefulness
On the grounds of Seirinji Temple stands a 16-meter-tall image of Shaka Nyorai known as the Aukana Buddha. Official tourism information from Kanuma City and Tochigi Prefecture introduces Seirinji as a temple known for this large Buddha image and its peonies. Each year on May 5, the temple holds a flower festival in front of the image, setting up a flower pavilion and pouring sweet tea to celebrate the Buddha's birth. Visiting is free, and official information states that the temple is about a 15-minute walk from JR Kanuma Station and about a 20-minute walk from Tobu Shin-Kanuma Station.
Daishoin Temple
Buddhist Image Jizo Bosatsu Image (Taka Jizo) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
栃木県佐野市植野町1856
Visiting Status Viewable on the temple grounds
WarmthDepthStillness
The Taka Jizo stands on the grounds of Daishoin Temple. Tochigi Prefecture’s official tourism site introduces it as a city-designated cultural property. According to the site, during the Keicho era a local retainer named Takahashi Sozaemon petitioned his lord for embankment work on the Akiyama River and for tax relief, but was executed. Villagers who admired him are said to have made this Jizo image in his likeness. It was originally erected at a place overlooking the former Ueno Village and was moved to the present grounds of Daishoin Temple in the Meiji period. It is included as a stop on the official Sano Buddhist-statue sightseeing route.
Chorenji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Benzaiten in Half-Lotus Pose Category Tenbu (Deva)
栃木県真岡市荒町1037
Visiting Status Open to general visitors (group visits require advance contact)
DignitySolemnityMystery
Chorenji Temple enshrines a seated Benzaiten in a half-lotus pose. Moka City’s official website introduces the image as 3.45 m high and says it is the largest of its kind in Japan. The grouping with Bishamonten, Daikokuten, and fifteen attendants is also highlighted, and the city notes that many visitors come from around the country to see it. It was designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Moka City in 1988. The Moka City Tourism Association lists it as a sightseeing spot and asks groups to contact the temple in advance.
Ioji Temple
Buddhist Image Juichimen Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
栃木県鹿沼市北半田1250
Visiting Status Open to the public (reservation required)
GentlenessRefinementStillness
Ioji Temple preserves a wooden standing image of Eleven-Faced Kannon Bodhisattva. Official information from Tochigi Prefecture and Kanuma City describes the 146 cm image as carved in single-block construction with carved eyes. Its gentle expression, downcast eyes, and shallow robe folds show features of the Jocho style, and it dates from the first half to the mid-12th century. An ink inscription records repairs in 1780 by Unno and Kamenami of the sixth generation of the Takada family. It was designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Tochigi Prefecture in 1996, and prefectural cultural-property information lists it as open to the public by reservation.
Seisenji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Amida Nyorai (with pedestal and halo) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
栃木県宇都宮市下小倉町1529
Visiting Status Open for viewing (advance confirmation required)
PeacefulnessRefinementDepth
Seisenji Temple enshrines a wooden standing Amida Nyorai as its principal image. Tochigi Prefecture describes it as an 86.2 cm-high raigo-style image made of hinoki cypress using split-and-joined single-block construction, with crystal eyes, gold pigment on the flesh, and lacquer-gilt robes. Its rounded shoulders, calm expression, small spiral curls, and shallow drapery folds date it stylistically to the mid-12th century in the Heian period. Records inside the image document repairs in 1451 and 1601; the halo bears a 1662 inscription naming the Buddhist sculptor Ukon, and documents inside the statue include a record from 1694. It was designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Tochigi Prefecture in 1994, and its access status is listed as viewable with advance confirmation required.
Honji Senjuji Temple
Buddhist Image Maedachi Triad (One-Halo Amida Triad: Amida Nyorai, Seishi Bosatsu, Kannon Bosatsu) Category Tathagata / Bodhisattva
栃木県真岡市高田1482
Visiting Status Individual worship and visits permitted (no application required / 9:00–16:00)
PeacefulnessRefinementSolemnity
At the Nyorai Hall of Honji Senjuji Temple, visitors normally worship the maedachi triad that stands before the hidden principal One-Halo Triad, which is unveiled once every 17 years. Amida Nyorai stands in the center, with Seishi Bosatsu to the viewer's left and Kannon Bosatsu to the right, forming a Zenkoji-style triad. The temple states that the maedachi was designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Tochigi Prefecture in 1959. According to Tochigi Prefecture, the bronze Kannon and Seishi attendants show a late Kamakura-period style and measure 28.8 cm and 28.2 cm respectively, while the central image is wooden. Individual worship and visits require no application; opening hours are 9:00–16:00 and admission to the temple is free.
Kanmangafuchi Abyss
Buddhist Image Group of Jizo Bosatsu statues (Bake Jizo / Narabi Jizo) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
栃木県日光市匠町
Visiting Status Viewable and open for worship from the outdoor walking path
StillnessMysteryWarmth
On the south bank of Kanmangafuchi Abyss, about 70 Jizo Bodhisattva statues wearing red hoods stand in a row, known as the Bake Jizo or Narabi Jizo. Official information from Nikko City and the Nikko City Tourism Association describes the statues as lining the gorge formed by lava from Mt. Nantai and the clear waters of the Daiya River. They are called “Bake Jizo” because legend says the number seems to differ when counted on the way out and back. Located along an outdoor historic walking route, the statues can be viewed and worshipped at close range while strolling through the gorge, creating a distinctive meeting of Nikko’s natural scenery and Jizo faith.
Oiwake Jizo
Buddhist Image Oiwake Jizo (Stone Seated Jizo Bosatsu) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
栃木県日光市今市117
Visiting Status Open for worship (9:00–16:00 / generally open year-round; staff may be absent)
WarmthDignityStillness
Oiwake Jizo stands at the junction of the Nikko Kaido and Reiheishi Kaido roads. The official Nikko tourism site describes it as the largest seated stone Jizo image in northern Kanto and notes that it is designated a cultural property of Nikko City. There is no clear record of when it was first enshrined, but traditions connected with the eighth shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune’s pilgrimage to Nikko indicate that it was already here before that time. Many worshippers visit for the Nijusanya Festival in August and the Sentō Kuyo Festival on September 24 and 25. Normal visiting hours are 9:00–16:00; it is generally open year-round, though staff may be absent.
Iwafunesan Koshoji Temple
Buddhist Image Ikimi no Jizo (Living Jizo) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
栃木県栃木市岩舟町静3
Visiting Status Hidden image (unveiled once a year during the autumn equinox period)
MysteryWarmthSolemnity
The hidden principal image of Iwafunesan Koshoji Temple is known as the “Ikimi no Jizo,” or Living Jizo. According to the temple, Koshoji was founded in 771 by Koseibo Myogan, who enshrined this Jizo as the principal image and built a hall for it. The statue is normally kept inside a closed altar and hidden from view, and is unveiled once a year during the autumn equinox period. It is venerated for memorial prayers for the dead as well as for conception, child-rearing, and safe childbirth. The Tochigi City Tourism Association also introduces Koshoji as one of Japan’s three great Jizo temples, noting that many worshippers visit during the spring and autumn equinox periods.
Nikkozan Rinnoji Taiyuin
Buddhist Image Four Yaksha (Abatsumara, Bidara, Umarokya, Kendara) Category Tenbu (Deva)
栃木県日光市山内2300
Visiting Status Open for worship during visiting hours (Apr–Oct 8:00–17:00 / Nov–Mar 8:00–16:00; admission closes 30 minutes before closing)
DignityPowerMystery
Yashamon Gate, an Important Cultural Property at Taiyuin of Nikkozan Rinnoji, enshrines four Yaksha—Abatsumara, Bidara, Umarokya, and Kendara—as guardians of Tokugawa Iemitsu’s mausoleum. Rinnoji’s official site explains that the gate is also called the “Peony Gate” because of its peony carvings, and introduces Umarokya as a particularly rare Buddhist deity in Japan. Taiyuin is open to paid visitors, and Yashamon stands along the regular worship route from Niomon toward the worship and main halls, allowing visitors to see and worship the four Yaksha at close range during normal visiting hours.
Mikamo Fudoson
Buddhist Image Daisho Fudo Myo-o Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
栃木県栃木市藤岡町大田和747
Visiting Status Open for worship during visiting hours (Mar–Oct 9:00–17:00 / Nov–Feb 9:00–16:30)
PowerDignityWarmth
Mikamo Fudoson, at the southern foot of Mt. Mikamo, is a Shingon esoteric Buddhist prayer temple founded in 1998 and a branch temple of Senju Kannonji in Sano. The Main Hall enshrines Daisho Fudo Myoo as its principal image, with Enmei Jizo on the left and Kobo Daishi on the right. The temple’s official site lists visiting hours as 9:00–17:00 from March through October and 9:00–16:30 from November through February. Close to the Sano-Fujioka Interchange and Michi-no-Eki Mikamo, it is also introduced by Tochigi City’s official tourism information as an accessible sightseeing and worship destination.
Shimotsuke Daishi Kezoji Temple
Buddhist Image Kangiten (Shoten-sama) Category Tenbu (Deva)
栃木県下野市下古山928-1
Visiting Status Hidden image (unveiled once a year at the Shoten Festival on the fourth Sunday of August)
MysterySolemnityWarmth
Kangiten, commonly called Shoten-sama, is a hidden image enshrined in Shoten Hall at Shimotsuke Daishi Kezoji Temple. The temple’s official website states that the image is unveiled only once a year during the Shoten Festival held on the fourth Sunday of August. In 2026 the festival is held on August 23, with worship from 10:00 to 15:00 and prayer services at 11:00 and 13:30. Although normally hidden from view, the official opening date and hours are clearly announced, giving general visitors a once-a-year opportunity to worship this deva.
Jigen-in Temple (Takasaki Byakue Daikannon)
Buddhist Image Takasaki Byakue Daikannon (Great White-Robed Kannon) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
群馬県高崎市石原町2710-1
Visiting Status Open for worship from the temple grounds; interior open to visitors (Mar–Oct 9:00–17:00, Nov–Feb 9:00–16:30)
NobilityDignitySolemnity
Standing on the summit of Kannon-yama in Takasaki, the Takasaki Byakue Daikannon is a 41.8-meter reinforced-concrete statue erected in 1936 by businessman Yasuzaburo Inoue, who wished for peace in society and the development of Takasaki. The original model was created by metal-casting artist Torizo Morimura, and the statue was added to Japan's Register of Tangible Cultural Properties in 2000. Inside are 20 Buddhist and eminent-monk statues, and visitors can climb 146 steps to the ninth floor, around the height of the Kannon's shoulders. It remains a familiar symbol of Takasaki and continues to attract worshippers as the first temple of the Kanto 88 Sacred Sites pilgrimage, among other pilgrimage associations.
Mizusawa-dera Temple (Mizusawa Kannon)
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Eleven-Faced Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
群馬県渋川市伊香保町水沢214
Visiting Status On public view in Shaka Hall (special free admission currently available; 10:00–15:00, last entry 14:30)
GentlenessRefinementStillness
The wooden standing Eleven-Faced Kannon enshrined in the Shaka Hall of Mizusawa-dera is a 105.5 cm-tall image carved from a single block of wood, thought to be katsura. Shibukawa City dates it to the latter half of the 11th century, noting the influence of the Jocho style in its gentle facial features and shallow, orderly drapery while also identifying older stylistic elements in the head and body proportions. It was designated an Important Cultural Property of Shibukawa City in 2016. The official Mizusawa Kannon website currently states that Shaka Hall is open for special free viewing from 10:00 to 15:00, with last entry at 14:30. This is a publicly displayed Eleven-Faced Kannon distinct from the temple's secret principal image in the main hall.
Doukutsu Kannon / Tokumeien
Buddhist Image Thirty-Nine Kannon Statues (Thirty-Three Kannon and Six Kannon) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
群馬県高崎市石原町2857
Visiting Status Publicly accessible areas are open for worship during opening hours (weekdays 10:00–15:30, last admission 15:00; weekends and public holidays 10:00–16:30, last admission 16:00; daily in November 10:00–16:30, last admission 16:00; irregular and temporary closures may occur). Normally closed areas are accessible only during occasional special viewings.
MysterySolemnityDepth
Doukutsu Kannon is an underground sightseeing worship site begun in 1919 by kimono merchant Tokuzo Yamada and built over roughly 50 years. The man-made cave extends approximately 450 meters in total, including areas normally closed to the public, and houses 39 stone Kannon statues—the Thirty-Three Kannon and Six Kannon—created over the lifetime of stone sculptor Rakuzan. Visitors can make a devotional circuit through a cave decorated with massive and notable stones to evoke the Pure Land beyond. The official facility describes itself not as a religious corporation but as a sightseeing worship site founded on Kannon devotion. Publicly accessible areas can be visited during regular opening hours, while normally closed sections are opened only for occasional special viewings.
Sogenji Temple (Sazaedo)
Buddhist Image One Hundred Kannon Statues (Chichibu, Bando and Saigoku pilgrimage Kannon) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
群馬県太田市東今泉町165
Visiting Status Hall open to visitors (10:00–12:00 and 13:00–15:00; irregular closures; viewing may be unavailable during services or other temple events, so check the official website in advance)
WarmthMysteryDepth
Sogenji's Sazaedo is a three-level Kannon hall built in 1798 and now used as the temple's main hall. Inside are 100 Kannon statues representing the 34 Chichibu, 33 Bando, and 33 Saigoku pilgrimage temples. Following the one-way clockwise route allows visitors to complete a devotional circuit of the One Hundred Kannon within a single building. Recognized as one of the oldest surviving and the largest Sazaedo halls, it was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 2018. The interior remains open to general visitors, offering a direct encounter with both the Kannon images and the distinctive pilgrimage route that embodies Edo-period Kannon devotion.
Shiraiwasan Chokokuji Temple (Shiraiwa Kannon)
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Eleven-Faced Kannon (Maedachi image) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
群馬県高崎市白岩町448
Visiting Status The maedachi image is on public view (the principal Eleven-Faced Kannon is a secret image and not open to the public)
DignityRefinementStillness
Shiraiwasan Chokokuji is the 15th temple of the Bando Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage. Its principal wooden standing Eleven-Faced Kannon, dating to the late Heian period (late 11th–12th century), is a secret image and is not normally shown. In the main hall, however, the maedachi standing Eleven-Faced Kannon is open to the public. This image dates to the late Kamakura period, is made of hinoki wood in joined-block construction, and is covered in gold leaf. Together with the secret principal image, it was designated an Important Cultural Property of Gunma Prefecture in 1975. Visitors can encounter this Kamakura-period Kannon during ordinary worship at this historic pilgrimage temple.