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Koka Cultural Heritage Repository
Buddhist Image Seated Bosatsu (dated 1124) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
岐阜県関市洞戸高賀1217
Visiting Status Regularly open (9:00–16:30; closed Mondays, or the following weekday when Monday is a public/substitute holiday; temporary closures possible; admission free)
DepthNobilityStillness
Displayed at the Koka Cultural Heritage Repository, this seated Bodhisattva comes from the Buddhist images formerly kept at Rengebuji and handed down at Koka Shrine. It bears a date of 1124, and Seki City identifies it as probably an Eleven-faced Kannon. Gifu Prefecture introduces it as the oldest wooden Buddhist image in the prefecture whose date is known. Together with a Taizokai Dainichi Nyorai and a Kokuzo Bosatsu, it conveys the deep history of Koka mountain worship and Buddhist art. The repository is open 9:00–16:30 and admission is free.
Oterasan Gankoji Temple (Kani Yakushi)
Buddhist Image Nationally Designated Important Cultural Property Buddhist Statue Collection (24 figures) Category Other
岐阜県可児郡御嵩町御嵩1377-1
Visiting Status Treasure Hall open for viewing (10:00–16:00, from ¥500; the principal Yakushi Nyorai is normally hidden from public view)
SolemnityDepthNobility
Gankoji Temple preserves 24 Buddhist statues designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan, including its principal Yakushi Nyorai. The Mitake Tourism Association lists the Reihoden Treasure Hall as open from 10:00 to 16:00 with admission from ¥500. The collection includes outstanding Heian- and Kamakura-period works such as a Yakushi triad, a Shaka triad and the Twelve Divine Generals, making this one of Gifu’s most concentrated destinations for nationally designated Buddhist sculpture. The principal Yakushi Nyorai is a hidden image and is not normally shown, but the treasure hall itself remains highly worthwhile for viewing historic Buddhist art.
Jionji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Thousand-Armed Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
岐阜県岐阜市溝口中138-1
Visiting Status Unveiled five days a year (mornings of Jan 1–3 and Aug 9–10; advance confirmation recommended)
SolemnityMysteryStillness
Jionji Temple in Gifu City preserves this wooden seated Thousand-Armed Kannon, designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan and dated to the late Heian period. It is a rare Kiyomizudera-type image: two rear arms rise high above the head and meet at the fingertips, supporting a gilded Amida Nyorai. The figure combines a weighty face with a richly modeled body. It is normally a hidden image; specialist sources state that it is unveiled only five mornings each year, on January 1–3 and August 9–10. Despite the limited viewing dates, its unusual iconography and sculptural quality make it especially worthwhile for visitors interested in Buddhist sculpture.
Arako Kannon Temple
Buddhist Image Enku Buddha Group (Nio guardians, Senmen Bosatsu figures, and others) Category Other
愛知県名古屋市中川区荒子町宮窓138
Visiting Status Regular public viewing (13:00–16:00 on the second Saturday of every month)
PowerWarmthDepth
Arako Kannon Temple preserves more than 1,250 Buddhist statues carved by Enku. The Nio Gate houses a pair of Nio guardians over 3 meters tall, and the collection also includes many Senmen Bosatsu figures. It is one of the leading places to see a large group of Enku’s distinctively simple, powerful carvings. The Enku statues are open to the public from 13:00 to 16:00 on the second Saturday of every month (admission ¥1,000).
Kakuozan Nittaiji Temple
Buddhist Image Shakyamuni Tathagata Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
愛知県名古屋市千種区法王町1-1
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (gates 5:00–16:30; open year-round)
NobilityPurityStillness
The principal image of Kakuozan Nittaiji Temple’s Main Hall is Shakyamuni Tathagata. In June 1900, this gilt-bronze image was presented to Japan by King Rama V of Thailand (King Chulalongkorn), and Nittaiji’s official site describes it as a Thai national treasure about one thousand years old. It stands at the center of this non-sectarian temple, founded through the cooperation of Japan’s Buddhist schools to enshrine relics of the Buddha. It can still be worshipped in the Main Hall. The gates are open 5:00–16:30 and admission is free.
Toganji Temple
Buddhist Image Nagoya Great Buddha Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
愛知県名古屋市千種区四谷通2-16
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (9:00–17:00; open year-round)
SolemnityWarmthMystery
The Nagoya Great Buddha stands in the grounds of Toganji Temple and was erected in 1987. This bronze seated figure by Buddhist sculptor Nagata Seizan is 10 meters high and reaches 15 meters including its pedestal. Instead of a conventional lotus pedestal, the statue is supported by ten elephants, and its vivid green body with gold-colored eyes, lips, ears and other details gives it a distinctive appearance. It can be viewed on the temple grounds from 9:00 to 17:00, every day and free of charge.
Takisanji Temple
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu / Bonten / Taishakuten Category Other
愛知県岡崎市滝町山籠107
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (Treasure Hall 9:00–17:00; open year-round, temporary closures possible)
PowerTense PresenceNobility
The Treasure Hall of Takisanji Temple enshrines a triad of standing Sho Kannon Bodhisattva, Brahma and Indra statues. Dating to the Kamakura period, they are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Temple tradition holds that they were created in 1201, the third memorial year of Minamoto no Yoritomo, to pray for his repose, and attributes them to the Buddhist sculptors Unkei and his son Tankei. Centered on Sho Kannon with Brahma and Indra at the sides, the triad is notable for the power and tense presence associated with Kamakura-period sculpture. The Treasure Hall is normally open 9:00–17:00 year-round, with possible temporary closures and seasonal hour changes.
Yagoto-san Koushoji Temple
Buddhist Image Taizokai Dainichi Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
愛知県名古屋市昭和区八事本町78
Visiting Status Regular worship available (monthly ennichi on the 8th at 12:30)
SolemnityDignityStillness
The principal image of Yagoto-san Koushoji Temple is the Taizokai Dainichi Nyorai. In 1697, Tokugawa Mitsutomo, second lord of the Owari Tokugawa domain, had this large image, about 3.3 meters tall, cast in memory of his mother. It is enshrined in Dainichi Hall on the temple’s eastern hill. As a central object of worship at Koushoji, it is honored at the Dainichi Nyorai ennichi held in the hall at 12:30 on the 8th of every month, when visitors can worship it.
Unshinji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Amida Tathagata Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
愛知県名古屋市熱田区尾頭町3番19号
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (9:00–16:00; may be unavailable during temple events)
GentlenessPeacefulnessSolemnity
The principal image of Unshinji Temple’s Main Hall is a wooden seated Amida Tathagata. Commissioned through the vow of Daiki Shonin of Kenchuji Temple, it was created in 1863 by Kyoto Buddhist sculptor Yamamoto Mosuke. This jo-roku-class seated image is made by joined-wood construction and finished with gold leaf, and is said to have been modeled on the principal image of Chion-in’s Amida Hall in Kyoto. It was designated a Cultural Property of Nagoya City in 1957 and is counted among the “Three Great Buddhas of Nagoya,” together with the images at Koushoji and Eikokuji. It can normally be viewed from 9:00 to 16:00, although access may be unavailable during temple events.
Nanatsudera Temple
Buddhist Image Sho Kannon Bosatsu / Seishi Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
愛知県名古屋市中区大須2-28-5
Visiting Status Advance reservation required for interior viewing (¥500 per person; worship from outside 9:00–17:00)
RefinementPurityDepth
The Main Hall of Nanatsudera Temple preserves seated images of Sho Kannon Bodhisattva and Daiseishi Bodhisattva. Created in 1167 in the late Heian period by an unknown sculptor, they originally served as the two attendants flanking an Amida Tathagata. During wartime destruction, the two Bodhisattvas were carried out of the burning hall and escaped loss. Made with wooden dry-lacquer joined-block construction, finished with gold leaf, and incorporating crystal eyes among the earliest known examples, they are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Visitors may worship from outside the hall from 9:00 to 17:00; close interior viewing requires an advance telephone reservation (¥500 and may be unavailable during events).
Zaikaji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Kongo Rikishi Statues (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
愛知県豊川市財賀町観音山3
Visiting Status Viewable at any time from the temple grounds (Nio Gate and statues may be viewed freely)
PowerDignityTense Presence
A pair of wooden standing Kongo Rikishi statues is enshrined in the Nio Gate of Zaikaji Temple. Dating to the late Heian period, these monumental figures stand about 3.8 meters high and are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Toyokawa City describes them as second in size only to the Kongo Rikishi of Todaiji Temple in Nara among nationally designated Important Cultural Properties, and they are known as some of the largest and most imposing Nio figures in Aichi. The temple’s official guidance states that the Nio Gate and statues may be viewed freely at any time.
Sekiganji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Aizen Myo-o Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
愛知県豊橋市多米町字赤岩山4
Visiting Status Normally closed to the public (shown at the temple treasure exhibition every November 23; special opening in 2026 on Nov 21, 22, 23, 28 and 29, 10:00–15:00)
PowerMysteryTense Presence
Sekiganji Temple preserves a wooden seated Aizen Myoo dating to the Kamakura period and designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. It is normally kept in a cultural-property storehouse and closed to the public, but is shown at the temple treasure exhibition every November 23. In 2026, for the temple’s 1,300th-anniversary special opening, it is also scheduled to be shown from 10:00 to 15:00 on November 21, 22, 23, 28 and 29, allowing visitors to choose one of the announced public viewing days.
Ichihatasan Yakushiji Temple
Buddhist Image Reclining Ichihata Yakushi Ruriko Tathagata Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
愛知県岡崎市藤川町王子ケ入12-44
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (weekdays 10:00–15:00; weekends and holidays 9:30–15:30)
SolemnityPurityPeacefulness
Ruriko Hall at Ichihatasan Yakushiji Temple enshrines a reclining image of Ichihata Yakushi Ruriko Tathagata. Unveiled in 2012, the bronze statue measures 8.94 meters in length, a number chosen in reference to “Yakushi.” Its surface is covered with about 30,000 sheets of gold leaf, each roughly 10 centimeters square, giving the image its brilliant golden appearance. Visitors can also pass through the corridor beneath the statue and touch the sole of the Buddha’s foot from behind as part of an interior pilgrimage. Ruriko Hall is normally open for viewing from 10:00 to 15:00 on weekdays and 9:30 to 15:30 on weekends and holidays.
Daibutsuji Temple (Shurakuen Great Buddha)
Buddhist Image Shurakuen Great Buddha (Seated Amida Tathagata) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
愛知県東海市荒尾町西丸山47-3
Visiting Status Viewable at any time from the temple grounds (free)
DignitySolemnityWarmth
The Shurakuen Great Buddha stands in the grounds of Daibutsuji Temple. Businessman Yamada Saikichi commissioned it to commemorate the marriage of Emperor Showa, and it was consecrated on May 21, 1927. Modeled on the Great Buddha of Kamakura, it is a seated Amida Tathagata standing 18.79 meters high. It is regarded as Japan’s first reinforced-concrete Great Buddha and is now designated by Tokai City as both a cultural building and a scenic site, remaining a local symbol. Aichi Prefecture’s official tourism site states that it can be viewed at any time free of charge.
Jofukuji Temple
Buddhist Image Kariyado Great Buddha (Seated Amida Tathagata) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
愛知県西尾市刈宿町出口50
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (temple grounds; interior pilgrimage also available)
WarmthPeacefulnessSolemnity
The Kariyado Great Buddha stands in the grounds of Jofukuji Temple. Consecrated on April 6, 1928, it is a reinforced-concrete seated Amida Tathagata measuring 9.9 meters in statue height and 13.0 meters from the ground to the top of its halo. It is said to have been built with donations gathered nationwide, both as a substitute for the temple’s main gate on the occasion of Emperor Showa’s enthronement and as a prayer for the safety of fishermen. The Buddha forms the preaching mudra, and part of the Taima Mandala is painted on the wall of the altar inside the statue. It can normally be worshipped in the temple grounds, and visitors can also enter the statue for an interior pilgrimage.
Ryushoin Temple
Buddhist Image Juichimen Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
愛知県海部郡蟹江町大字須成字門屋敷上1364番地
Visiting Status Regular public viewing (on the 18th of every month, except January and February)
NobilityRefinementStillness
The principal image of Ryushoin Temple’s Main Hall is a wooden standing Eleven-Faced Kannon Bodhisattva. Dating to the late Heian period, the statue bears an ink inscription inside dated 1182 and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The temple is said to have been founded by Gyoki in 733 and revived by Kiso Yoshinaka in 1182. During the 1584 Battle of Kanie, Ryushoin and its principal image escaped destruction by fire. Originally a secret Buddha shown only once every sixty years, the image is now opened to the public on the 18th of every month except January and February.
Hojuji Temple
Buddhist Image Senju Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
愛知県豊川市御津町赤根百々61
Visiting Status Regular public viewing (on the 17th of every month)
NobilityMysteryStillness
Hojuji Temple preserves a wooden standing Thousand-Armed Kannon Bodhisattva from the Heian period. The sculptor is not identified, and the image is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. According to materials from Toyokawa City, the statue was originally in Mie Prefecture and was transferred to Hojuji during the anti-Buddhist movement of the Meiji period. It is now shown to the public on the 17th of every month, allowing visitors to worship an authentic Heian-period Senju Kannon.
Fukoji Temple
Buddhist Image Kita Great Buddha (Seated Shakyamuni Tathagata) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
愛知県名古屋市北区大杉3丁目12-8
Visiting Status Viewable from the temple grounds
SolemnityWarmthDignity
The Kita Great Buddha stands in the grounds of Fukoji Temple. Erected in 2003, it is a seated Shakyamuni Tathagata that Nagoya City’s Kita Ward official site describes as 7.235 meters high. Its body is painted gold while the curled hair is deep green, giving the statue a distinctive appearance. The grounds also enshrine Nyoirin Kannon and Jizo figures representing the twelve zodiac signs. Visitors can worship the statue after entering the temple gate, and it has a strong presence as a modern Great Buddha of northern Nagoya.
Toyokawa Inari (Myogonji Temple)
Buddhist Image Two Wooden Standing Jizo Bodhisattvas Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
愛知県豊川市豊川町1番地
Visiting Status Special public access (Nov 1–23, 2026; visitors who receive the special opening prayer may worship in the inner sanctuary)
NobilityMysteryStillness
Two wooden standing Jizo Bodhisattvas are enshrined in the inner sanctuary of the Main Hall at Toyokawa Inari (Myogonji Temple). Both are about 77 cm high; the figure on the viewer’s left is estimated to date from the late Kamakura period, while the one on the right is from the middle to late Kamakura period. They are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Their provenance is unclear, but they are regarded as fine examples of Jizo sculpture surviving in the region. The inner sanctuary is normally closed to the general public, but during the 72-year special opening from November 1 to 23, 2026, visitors who receive the special opening prayer may enter and worship the images at close range.
Konrenji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Amida Tathagata and Two Attendant Bodhisattvas Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
愛知県西尾市吉良町饗庭七度ケ入1
Visiting Status Advance application required (interior viewing of Amida Hall for groups of 4 or more; ¥200 per person)
RefinementStillnessSolemnity
A wooden Amida Tathagata and two attendant Bodhisattvas are enshrined on the altar of Konrenji Temple’s Amida Hall, a National Treasure. This Kamakura-period triad is made by joined-block construction and uses crystal eyes. The central seated Amida is 80 cm high, with Kannon Bodhisattva on the viewer’s right and Seishi Bodhisattva on the left, and the three images are designated Tangible Cultural Properties of Aichi Prefecture. During conservation in 2007–2008, later surface coatings were removed, restoring the clarity of their expressions and forms. Interior viewing and explanation of the Amida Hall require advance application through a volunteer guide for groups of four or more; admission is ¥200 per person.