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Iwadonosan Shoboji Temple (Iwadono Kannon)
Buddhist Image Stone Replicas of the Japan 100 Kannon and Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimages (188 images total) Category Tathagata / Bodhisattva / Wisdom King / Deva / Other
埼玉県東松山市岩殿1229
Visiting Status Open to general worship (temple grounds 8:30–17:00; until 16:00 from November through February. The stone images are outdoors.)
MysteryDepthStillness
Shoboji, known as Iwadono Kannon and Temple No. 10 of the Bando Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage, has 188 stone Buddhist images set along the cliff beside its Kannon Hall. They represent the 100 Kannon of the Saigoku, Bando and Chichibu pilgrimages—33, 33 and 34 images respectively—together with replicas of the principal deities of the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage. Higashimatsuyama City describes worship here as carrying the same merit as completing both the Japan 100 Kannon and Shikoku 88 pilgrimages. The sight of many Buddhist figures lining the natural rock face is distinctive, and the outdoor images can be worshipped during normal visiting hours.
Jiunzan Shinkanji Temple
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県行田市小見1124
Visiting Status Normally not open to the public (unveiled once every 12 years in the Year of the Horse; in 2026, open Nov 21–23, 8:30–14:00)
RefinementNobilityMystery
The wooden standing Sho Kannon Bodhisattva in Shinkanji Temple’s Kannon Hall is a late-Heian-period image measuring 103 cm and designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Saitama Prefecture. Carved from hinoki cypress using the split-and-joined technique, it retains much of its lacquer-and-gold finish and its original pedestal. The serene smiling face, slight turn of the waist and lotus held in the left hand reflect the refined Jocho-style tradition of central Buddhist sculpture. Its pose suggests that it may originally have been made as an attendant in a triad. Normally hidden from view, the statue is unveiled once every twelve years in a Year of the Horse; in 2026 it will be open to worshippers from November 21 to 23.
Enmeizan Kikusui-ji Temple
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県秩父市下吉田1104
Visiting Status Hidden image (2026 Horse-Year Grand Unveiling: Mar 18–Nov 30; unveiled once every 12 years together with the 34 Chichibu pilgrimage temples)
RefinementDignityNobility
The principal image of Kikusui-ji, Temple No. 33 of the Chichibu Thirty-Four Kannon Pilgrimage, is a wooden standing Sho Kannon dating to the late Heian period. The 88 cm figure is carved from a single block of hinoki cypress, with carved eyes and no interior hollowing, and wears a jeweled crown. Chichibu City describes its stable form, refined and dignified features, and noble presence; it is designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Saitama Prefecture. After the former Kikusui-ji was destroyed by fire in 1569, the principal image is said to have been moved to Chofukuji, which had administered the temple. Normally hidden, it is being unveiled from March 18 to November 30, 2026 during the once-in-twelve-years Horse-Year Grand Unveiling.
Seonzan Rengein Myochiji Temple
Buddhist Image Senju Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県入間市春日町2-9-1
Visiting Status Hidden image (unveiled annually on January 17 for the Kurosu Kannon festival; viewed from outside the Kannon Hall)
SolemnityMysteryRefinement
The principal image of Rengein as Temple No. 18 of the Musashino Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage is a wooden standing Thousand-Armed Kannon known as Kurosu Kannon. After the former image was lost in a fire in 1546, it was recreated in 1547 by the Kamakura sculptor Chokei, with the priest Kakuju of Komyo-in in Negishi serving as patron. Carved from kaya wood using a split-and-joined technique and left largely unpainted, the figure has eleven transformation faces on its crown and forty-two arms, including the joined hands and bowl-holding hands. An inscription tablet inside records the circumstances of its reconstruction, and the statue is designated a Tangible Cultural Property by Iruma City. It is unveiled each year on January 17 for the Kurosu Kannon festival and can be worshipped from outside the Kannon Hall.
Tamazoin Temple
Buddhist Image Jizo Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県さいたま市浦和区仲町2-13-22
Visiting Status Hidden image (unveiled annually on April 23; otherwise not open to the public)
StillnessNobilityRefinement
The wooden standing Jizo Bodhisattva enshrined in Tamazoin Temple’s Jizo Hall is a Heian-period image measuring 67.9 cm and designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Saitama Prefecture. Carved from a single block of hinoki cypress and left unpainted, it retains archaic features: the central pith was removed, but the body was not hollowed out internally. The image is attributed to a local sculptor. Saitama City presents it as one of the prefecture’s earliest surviving examples of Jizo sculpture. Normally hidden from view, the image can be worshipped only during its annual unveiling on April 23. Located in central Urawa, it is a rare surviving witness to Heian-period Jizo devotion.
Sekiryuzan Hashidate-do
Buddhist Image Bato Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県秩父市上影森675
Visiting Status Hidden image (currently unveiled during the 2026 Horse-Year Grand Unveiling, Mar 18–Nov 30)
PowerMysteryDignity
The principal image of Hashidate-do, Temple No. 28 of the Chichibu Thirty-Four Kannon Pilgrimage, is a wooden seated Bato Kannon dating to the Kamakura period. The 26.5 cm statue, designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Chichibu City, was made in joined-wood construction with lacquer and gold leaf as a three-eyed, three-faced, six-armed form. The horse head and parts of the six arms are now missing, but the city regards it as an excellent Kamakura-period work. According to the official Chichibu pilgrimage site, among the 100 temples of Japan's Saigoku, Bando and Chichibu Kannon pilgrimages, only Hashidate-do and Saigoku Temple No. 29 Matsuo-ji have Bato Kannon as their principal image. The vermilion hall beneath a sheer rock wall about 65 m high adds to its distinctive setting. In 2026 the image is on view through November 30 for the once-in-twelve-years Horse-Year Grand Unveiling.
Hoozan Iwanoue-do
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県秩父市寺尾2169
Visiting Status Hidden image (currently unveiled during the 2026 Horse-Year Grand Unveiling, Mar 18–Nov 30)
StillnessRefinementMystery
The principal image of Iwanoue-do, Temple No. 20 of the Chichibu Thirty-Four Kannon Pilgrimage, is a wooden standing Sho Kannon Bodhisattva. Regarded as an excellent work of the Heian (Fujiwara) period, the 71.3 cm statue is designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Chichibu City. Made of hinoki cypress in joined-wood construction with lacquer and gold leaf, it is enshrined in a large Kasuga-style zushi, or miniature shrine, thought to date from the mid-Edo period. The backs of the zushi doors are richly decorated with the Thirty-Three Manifestations of Kannon together with the Sun Deity, Moon Deity, Wind God and Thunder God, creating an unusually dense devotional setting. The Kannon Hall itself is said to be the oldest building among the Chichibu pilgrimage temples and stands above the Arakawa River. Normally hidden, the principal image can be worshipped through November 30, 2026 during the once-in-twelve-years Horse-Year Grand Unveiling.
Butsudozan Nosakaji Temple
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県秩父市野坂町2-12-25
Visiting Status Hidden image (currently unveiled during the 2026 Horse-Year Grand Unveiling, Mar 18–Nov 30; temple open 8:00–17:00)
NobilitySolemnityStillness
The principal image of Nosakaji, Temple No. 12 of the Chichibu Thirty-Four Kannon Pilgrimage, is a wooden standing Sho Kannon Bodhisattva. The figure measures 156 cm, is carved from a single block of wood with an interior hollow, and is traditionally dated to the Fujiwara period. Chichibu City identifies it as the temple’s principal image. The official pilgrimage site also notes Nosakaji’s seasonal flowers and its 1741 gate, inside which figures including Enma, King of the Underworld, are displayed. Normally hidden from view, the principal image is being unveiled from March 18 to November 30, 2026 during the once-in-twelve-years Horse-Year Grand Unveiling, offering a rare chance to worship this large ancient Kannon directly.
Gyokutozan Fudoin Soganji Temple (Fudogaoka Fudoson)
Buddhist Image Fudo Myo-o (Principal Image) Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
埼玉県加須市不動岡2-9-18
Visiting Status Hidden image (unveiled annually on December 8 during the Susu-tori cleaning ceremony; exact time should be confirmed)
PowerDignitySolemnity
Soganji, known as Fudogaoka Fudoson, is counted among the Three Great Fudo temples of the Kanto region and is Temple No. 30 of the Kanto Thirty-Six Fudo Pilgrimage. Its principal Fudo Myo-o is enshrined in the Fudo Hall and is normally hidden from view, but the temple’s official annual calendar states that it is unveiled every December 8 during the traditional Susu-tori cleaning ceremony. Kazo City records that the present wooden Fudo Hall was completed in 1844. With active goma rites, Setsubun ceremonies and a fire-walking festival, the temple remains a major center of Fudo devotion, and the clearly established annual unveiling offers a rare chance to worship the principal image itself.
Jiunzan Myoanji Temple (Kamioka Kannon)
Buddhist Image Bato Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県東松山市岡1720
Visiting Status Horse-Year unveiling (Feb 8, 2026–Feb 19, 2027; public viewing on the 19th of each month, 9:00–16:00, except July and August)
PowerMysteryDignity
The principal image of Kamioka Kannon, administered by Myoanji Temple, is Bato Kannon, the horse-headed form of Avalokiteshvara. Temple tradition says that about 800 years ago in the Kamakura period, the monk Zukei—said to have trained with Minamoto no Yoshitsune—founded a small hermitage here and enshrined a Bato Kannon image he had carved himself, placing inside it a golden sacred image entrusted to him by Yoshitsune. The site subsequently became a major focus of devotion for the protection of warhorses and farm horses, drawing worshippers from Kanto, Tohoku and Koshinetsu. Today horse owners, trainers and other racing professionals still visit. Often described as one of the foremost Bato Kannon sacred sites in Kanto, it is also known for its annual February 19 ema market, which has been selected by the national government for preservation as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property. Normally the principal image cannot be viewed inside the hall, but during the 2026 Horse-Year unveiling it may be seen by the public on the monthly observance day, the 19th, except in July and August.
Sasadozan Chosen-in Temple
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県秩父市荒川上田野557
Visiting Status Hidden image (currently unveiled during the 2026 Horse-Year Grand Unveiling, Mar 18–Nov 30)
StillnessMysteryRefinement
The principal image of Chosen-in, Temple No. 29 of the Chichibu Thirty-Four Kannon Pilgrimage, is a wooden standing Sho Kannon Bodhisattva about 56 cm tall. Designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Chichibu City, it is traditionally attributed to Jie Daishi (Ryogen) and is said to date to the Fujiwara period. The figure is coated in dark brown and accented with gold pigment. A local legend tells that a dragon deity once offered a lamp to the image every night, giving rise to the name “Ryuto Kannon,” or Kannon of the Dragon Lamp. Chosen-in is also known as Sekisatsu-do, after a tradition that Shoku Shonin and other figures associated with the founding of the Chichibu pilgrimage deposited stone pilgrimage tablets here in 1234. Normally hidden from view, the principal image can be worshipped directly through November 30, 2026 during the once-in-twelve-years Horse-Year Grand Unveiling.
Zuiryuzan Hounji Temple
Buddhist Image Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県秩父市荒川白久432
Visiting Status Hidden image (unveiled annually on April 18; currently unveiled during the 2026 Horse-Year Grand Unveiling, Mar 18–Nov 30)
MysteryNobilityStillness
The principal image of Hounji, Temple No. 30 of the Chichibu Thirty-Four Kannon Pilgrimage, is Nyoirin Kannon, the wish-fulfilling-wheel form of Avalokiteshvara. Temple tradition says that in 1319 the Zen master Doin of Kencho-ji brought the image from Tang China. A further legend holds that Emperor Xuanzong carved it to pray for the repose of Yang Guifei and that the Buddhist master Amoghavajra performed its consecration. Chichibu City likewise introduces the temple as enshrining a Nyoirin Kannon traditionally attributed to Emperor Xuanzong. Normally hidden, the image is unveiled every April 18 and, in 2026, remains open to worship through November 30 for the once-in-twelve-years Horse-Year Grand Unveiling. Its unusual Yang Guifei legend and clearly established viewing opportunities make it one of the most distinctive principal images on the Chichibu pilgrimage.
Fudarakusan Saifukuji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu and the Hundred Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県川口市西立野420
Visiting Status Open to worship in the Kannon Hall (the Hundred Kannon are enshrined there; the annual Dai-Goma and Forty-Six-Thousand-Day observance is held on August 9)
SolemnityDepthWarmth
The central image in Saifukuji Temple's Kannon Hall is a wooden seated Nyoirin Kannon Bodhisattva about 90 cm tall, designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Kawaguchi City. The statue contains 99 miniature Kannon figures; together with the central image, these form the “Hundred Kannon.” In addition, 99 later Kannon images are arranged on either side of the central figure in the hall. The central image and the miniature figures inside it are thought to date from around 1690, when the hall was rebuilt, and are regarded as a notable example of early-Edo Nyoirin Kannon sculpture. The grounds also preserve a prefecturally designated three-storied pagoda erected in 1693 by Chiyo-hime, daughter of Tokugawa Iemitsu. The annual August 9 Dai-Goma is associated with the Forty-Six-Thousand-Day merit observance, showing the continuity of the temple's Hundred Kannon devotion.
Banshozan Daiji-ji Temple
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県秩父郡横瀬町大字横瀬5151
Visiting Status Hidden image (currently unveiled during the 2026 Horse-Year Grand Unveiling, Mar 18–Nov 30)
RefinementNobilityDepth
The principal image of Daiji-ji, Temple No. 10 of the Chichibu Thirty-Four Kannon Pilgrimage, is a wooden seated Sho Kannon Bodhisattva with a seated height of 44.7 cm. Designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Yokoze Town, it is estimated to date from the latter half of the 14th century. It is a rare and accomplished example in the Chichibu region of a robe-draped Kannon image, and is thought to have been made by a Kamakura Buddhist sculptor associated with the Takuma-school tradition. Although the figure sits cross-legged on a lotus pedestal with the robe hanging deeply to both sides, the tip of the right foot unusually appears between the folds descending on the left, a distinctive design singled out by the town as an exceptional example of this sculptural type. Normally hidden from view, the image can be worshipped directly through November 30, 2026 during the once-in-twelve-years Horse-Year Grand Unveiling.
Jiunsan Togaku-in Temple (Raigoji)
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Amida Tathagata Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
埼玉県東松山市大字古凍536-1
Visiting Status Normally not open to the public (unveiled annually on October 15; availability at other times should be confirmed in advance)
RefinementNobilityPeacefulness
Togaku-in preserves one of Higashimatsuyama's representative ancient Buddhist images, a wooden seated Amida Tathagata designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The 87.4 cm figure is made of joined hinoki wood and finished with lacquer and gold leaf. Its rounded, gentle modeling retains features of late-Heian sculpture, while the youthful tension of the face, upward-slanting eyes and deeply carved robe folds show characteristics associated with Kamakura sculpture. An inscription inside records that the master Buddhist sculptor Josho carried out "repair" work in 1253; Higashimatsuyama City notes that, given the contemporary meaning of the term and the scale of fundraising involved, 1253 may even have been the date of creation. Viewing outside the annual unveiling should be confirmed in advance; the image is unveiled every October 15. It is one of the relatively few high-quality historic Buddhist images in Saitama that can still be seen at its home temple on a recurring basis.
Okinai Bato Kannon Hall
Buddhist Image Niizo Okinai Stone Bato Kannon (Horse-Headed Avalokiteshvara) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県戸田市大字新曽620
Visiting Status Normally closed to the public (unveiled annually on February 19 and August 19)
PowerMysteryDepth
The Niizo Okinai Bato Kannon enshrined in the Okinai Bato Kannon Hall in Toda is an andesite stone image dated by inscription to March 21, 1670. The standing Horse-Headed Kannon is carved in relief against a boat-shaped mandorla with three faces and six arms, bearing a horse’s head above the crown. Its hands hold a vajra club, arrow, axe and bow, while the central pair are joined in prayer. The surviving height is 110.7 cm. As an early example of seventeenth-century Bato Kannon sculpture, it is especially valuable for its excellent preservation after centuries indoors: inscriptions, facial details, attributes and even traces of stone finishing remain clear. It remains a focus of local devotion and is normally hidden, but unveiled every February 19 and August 19.
Renkeiji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Amida Tathagata Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
埼玉県川越市連雀町7-1
Visiting Status Viewable when the Main Hall is open (Sat, Sun and public holidays 10:00–17:00; Aug 13–15; Jan 1–3; spring and autumn equinox periods; check the latest schedule)
RefinementPeacefulnessNobility
Renkeiji Temple's principal image is a wooden seated Amida Tathagata which the temple traditionally dates to 1278, in the Kamakura period. The 70 cm figure is made in joined-block construction with crystal eyes and a lacquer-and-gold finish, wearing robes that cover both shoulders and forming the raigo mudra. Kawagoe City notes the taut modeling of the body and lively robe folds as features associated with Kei-school Buddhist sculptors of the late Kamakura period, and designates the statue a Municipal Tangible Cultural Property. Because the temple stands in central Kawagoe and opens its Main Hall to ordinary visitors on scheduled days, it offers an accessible opportunity to worship a Kamakura-period Amida image.
Iosan Keitokuji Temple
Buddhist Image Four Heavenly Kings (Jikokuten, Zochoten, Komokuten and Tamonten) Category Tenbu (Deva)
埼玉県比企郡滑川町中尾812
Visiting Status Open to general worship (enshrined in the Shitenno Gate; visiting hours should be confirmed in advance)
PowerDignitySolemnity
Keitokuji Temple’s Four Heavenly Kings are a group of four statues—Jikokuten, Zochoten, Komokuten and Tamonten—enshrined in the Shitenno Gate, which now serves as the temple’s main entrance. Designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Namegawa Town, the figures are made in joined-block construction and are thought to date from the mid-Edo period. The gate is believed originally to have belonged to the Yakushi Hall and survived the major temple fire of 1739 together with that hall. The temple’s official site introduces each guardian and its attributes, making this an unusual place where visitors can encounter all four protectors while passing through the gate itself.
Shin'izan Morinji Temple
Buddhist Image Funanori Kannon (Wooden Standing Sho Kannon Bosatsu) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県秩父郡横瀬町芦ヶ久保200
Visiting Status Open to general worship (Funanori Kannon can be viewed from outside; Yokoze tourism information lists it as open year-round)
MysteryGentlenessDepth
Morinji Temple’s Funanori Kannon is an 87 cm wooden standing Sho Kannon Bodhisattva depicted riding in a boat and designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Yokoze Town. It was originally enshrined in a small hall on Mt. Hinatayama and came to be revered as a “guiding Kannon” for pilgrims entering Chichibu from Edo via Hanno and Ashigakubo. The ornate palace-style zushi (miniature shrine) bears a 1779 inscription naming a Buddhist sculptor and lacquerer from Tawaramachi in Asakusa, Edo, and preserves the high craftsmanship of the period. The unusual boat-riding image is closely tied to the history of the old pilgrimage route. Yokoze tourism information lists it as open year-round, and the image can be worshipped from outside the building.
Omiya Kannon Jigenji Temple
Buddhist Image Senju Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
埼玉県さいたま市西区水判土462
Visiting Status Hidden image (unveiled once every 12 years in the Year of the Horse; the 100th unveiling was held April 11–17, 2026; next dates to be confirmed)
SolemnityMysteryNobility
The principal image of Omiya Kannon Jigenji is a hidden Thousand-Armed Kannon enshrined in the inner shrine of the Kannon Hall. Temple tradition holds that Jikaku Daishi Ennin founded the temple in 826 and carved the image with the devotional practice of making three bows for each stroke of the chisel. Saitama City cultural materials identify it as an old wooden Thousand-Armed Kannon image that may date from the late Heian to early Kamakura period. The image is unveiled only once every 12 years in the Year of the Horse. In 2026, when the temple marked its 1,200th anniversary, the 100th unveiling was held from April 11 to 17. The Kannon Hall itself is open daily from 10:00 to 16:00, but opportunities to see the principal image are rare.