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Kosanji Temple Museum / Kosanji Temple
Buddhist Image Crowned Seated Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
広島県尾道市瀬戸田町瀬戸田553-2
Visiting Status On permanent display in the Kongokan Gallery (9:00–17:00, open year-round)
RefinementNobilitySolemnity
This crowned seated Amida Nyorai is on permanent display in the Kongokan Gallery of the Kosanji Temple Museum. It was made by the Kamakura-period Buddhist sculptor Kaikei and bears an inscription dated 1201. The wooden lacquer-and-gold-leaf image came from the Jogyo Hall at Izusan and is designated a Important Cultural Property. It is shown in the permanent Buddhist art display; the museum is open year-round from 9:00 to 17:00.
Myooin Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Eleven-Faced Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
広島県福山市草戸町1473
Visiting Status Hidden image (unveiled once every 33 years; last unveiled November 1–4, 2024)
MysteryNobilitySolemnity
The wooden standing Eleven-Faced Kannon is the principal image of Myooin’s National Treasure Main Hall. A Heian-period work traditionally attributed to Saicho, it is designated a Important Cultural Property. Normally kept as a hidden image, it is unveiled once every 33 years; the most recent unveiling took place from November 1 to 4, 2024, the first in 33 years. The temple grounds are normally open for worship from 9:00 to 16:00.
Bingo Ankokuji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Amida Nyorai with Kannon and Seishi Attendants Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
広島県福山市鞆町後地990-1
Visiting Status Open for viewing (8:00–17:00; irregular closing days)
SolemnityPeacefulnessDepth
This wooden triad of Amida Nyorai with Kannon and Seishi Bosatsu is enshrined in the Shakado Hall of Bingo Ankokuji. It was made in 1274 for the temple’s predecessor, Kinpoji, by the master Buddhist sculptor Kakuson, following fundraising led by the monk Kankaku and others with Taira no Yorikage as chief patron. The life-size wooden Zenkoji-style triad is unusual: the central image is about 170 cm tall and the attendants about 130 cm, made in joined-wood construction with lacquer, gold leaf, and crystal eyes. Designated a Important Cultural Property, it remains the temple’s principal object of worship. Viewing is available from 8:00 to 17:00, with irregular closing days.
Myokoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Yakushi Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
広島県広島市安佐北区深川4-5-14-6
Visiting Status Always open to view
PeacefulnessSolemnityWarmth
A large wooden seated Yakushi Nyorai is enshrined in the Yakushi Hall at Myokoji Temple. The 270 cm-high image is made in joined-wood construction with lacquer and gold leaf and is accompanied by Nikko and Gakko Bosatsu. An ink inscription discovered on the back of the head during conservation work established that it was made in 1530. Designated an Important Cultural Property of Hiroshima Prefecture, it has long been affectionately known locally as “Oyakussan.” Official tourism information lists the image as always open to view.
Mitakidera Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
広島県広島市西区三滝山411
Visiting Status Viewable in the Main Hall (8:00–17:30; until 17:00 in December–January)
PeacefulnessRefinementStillness
This wooden seated Amida Nyorai, designated an Important Tangible Cultural Property by Hiroshima City, is enshrined in the Main Hall of Mitakidera. The small joined-wood image measures 29 cm in height and 22.5 cm across the knees and was finished with lacquer and gold leaf. Wearing a robe over both shoulders, it sits on a lotus pedestal with the hands in the meditation mudra. Most of the gold leaf has been lost, but delicate carving remains on the halo and pedestal, giving the small image a finely finished appearance. The temple accepts visitors from 8:00 to 17:30, until 17:00 in December and January.
Jikoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
広島県広島市安佐南区沼田町大塚大字観音甲2123
Visiting Status Advance contact required (contact Jikoji before requesting an unveiling)
MysterySolemnityDepth
The wooden standing Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Kannon is enshrined in Otsuka Kannon Hall of Jikoji Temple. Traditionally attributed to Kobo Daishi Kukai, its sculptural technique shows characteristics of the late Fujiwara period. Carved from a single block of wood, the statue stands 185 cm high. Two cast standing Amida Nyorai figures, about 10 cm tall and made from the same mold, are preserved inside the main statue. It is designated an Important Tangible Cultural Property by Hiroshima City. Advance contact with Jikoji is required to request an unveiling.
Saigoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Amida Nyorai with Kannon and Seishi Attendants Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
広島県尾道市東久保町8-40
Visiting Status Advance confirmation required (contact the temple before entering the Main Hall)
RefinementPeacefulnessDepth
The principal images of Saigoji’s Main Hall are a wooden standing Amida Nyorai accompanied by standing Kannon and Seishi Bosatsu. Objects found inside the attendant figures include an inscription dated 1285, indicating that the triad was made around that year. Carved from hinoki cypress in joined-wood construction, the figures use gold-pigment decoration, kirikane cut-gold patterns, and crystal eyes, forming a refined raigo-style triad. They are designated Important Cultural Properties of Hiroshima Prefecture. As access inside the Main Hall depends on the temple’s arrangements, contacting the temple in advance is recommended.
Kannonji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
広島県広島市南区元宇品町15-1
Visiting Status Viewable during worship hours (8:30–17:00)
PeacefulnessRefinementSolemnity
This wooden standing Amida Nyorai is enshrined in the kuri in front of Kannonji Temple’s Main Hall. It is thought to date from the Momoyama period to the early Edo period, while the treatment of the drapery retains stylistic features of the Muromachi period. The joined-wood statue stands 75.5 cm high. It has an elaborate lotus pedestal and a boat-shaped halo decorated with cloud motifs, and forms the raigo mudra while leaning slightly forward with the left foot advanced. It is designated an Important Tangible Cultural Property by Hiroshima City. Worship hours are 8:30 to 17:00.
Mitakidera Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
広島県広島市西区三滝山411
Visiting Status Unveiled twice a year (August 6 and the autumn unveiling service)
PeacefulnessNobilitySolemnity
This wooden seated Amida Nyorai, designated a Important Cultural Property, is enshrined in Mitakidera’s Tahoto Pagoda. An inscription inside the statue records that in November 1154 the people of Hino Village in Nishikigori, Kawachi Province donated it to Kannonji Temple in the same village. The image is made of joined hinoki cypress with lacquer and gold leaf and measures 87 cm in height. Its softly rounded face, arabesque-patterned halo, and lotus pedestal preserve the refined Jocho style of the late Heian period. The present pagoda was moved from Wakayama Prefecture in 1951 as a memorial to atomic-bomb victims, and the statue was later transferred from Kanshinji Temple in Kawachinagano, Osaka. It is unveiled each year on August 6 and during an autumn unveiling service.
Fukuzenji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Thousand-Armed Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
広島県福山市鞆町2
Visiting Status Viewable during visiting hours (weekdays 9:00–17:00; weekends and holidays 8:00–17:00)
GentlenessPeacefulnessSolemnity
The wooden standing Thousand-Armed Kannon is the principal image of Fukuzenji Temple’s Main Hall. The temple’s official guide describes it as a Kamakura-period image and preserves a tradition that it miraculously appeared from the sea. From the Kamakura period onward, and especially during the Edo period, it was deeply revered as a Kannon protecting maritime safety and safe childbirth. It is designated an Important Cultural Property by Fukuyama City. The image can now be viewed in the Main Hall; visiting hours for Fukuzenji Taichoro are 9:00–17:00 on weekdays and 8:00–17:00 on weekends and holidays.
Enmyoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu in Half-Lotus Pose Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
広島県広島市佐伯区三宅5-399
Visiting Status Viewable in the temple hall (9:00–17:00)
GentlenessRefinementSolemnity
This wooden Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu in a half-lotus pose is enshrined as the principal image in a hall at Enmyoji Temple. Thought to date from the late Muromachi to the Momoyama period, it is a joined-wood image finished with lacquer and gold leaf, measuring 56 cm in height and 37 cm across the knees. It is well preserved: fine gold lines on the robe retain hemp-leaf and treasure motifs, while the ornate jeweled crown and chest ornaments give the figure a richly decorated appearance. With six arms, the right knee raised and one hand resting lightly against the cheek, it displays the characteristic pose of Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu, complemented by a gentle expression. It is designated an Important Tangible Cultural Property by Hiroshima City.
Bandaiji Temple
Buddhist Image Stone Eleven-Faced Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
広島県福山市沼隈町能登原1427-1
Visiting Status Viewable in the Kannon Hall (9:00–16:00; irregular closing days)
MysteryGentlenessSolemnity
The stone Eleven-Faced Kannon is enshrined in Bandaiji Temple’s Kannon Hall, known as Abuto Kannon. According to temple tradition, around 985, Retired Emperor Kazan enshrined this stone image and prayed for safety at sea. The present Kannon Hall, standing on the cliff at Cape Abuto, is traditionally said to have been established by Mori Terumoto during 1570–1573 and is designated a Important Cultural Property. The Kannon has long been revered not only for maritime safety but also for fertility and safe childbirth.
Kohori Yakushi
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Yakushi Nyorai with Standing Nikko and Gakko Bosatsu Category Tathagata / Bodhisattva
広島県山県郡北広島町古保利10224
Visiting Status On display in the repository (9:00–16:30; last admission 16:00; closed Mondays and year-end/New Year holidays)
DignityDepthSolemnity
The repository at Kohori Yakushi displays a triad consisting of a wooden seated Yakushi Nyorai flanked by standing Nikko and Gakko Bosatsu. Kohori Yakushi stands on the site of the former Fukkoji Temple, thought to have been the family temple of the local district-governor clan of Yamagata District. All three figures are single-block wooden sculptures from the early Heian period, dating to the 9th century. The central Yakushi is a large seated image of approximately half-jo-roku scale, with Nikko and Gakko Bosatsu standing on either side. The triad is designated a Important Cultural Property, and the repository displays twelve early-Heian Buddhist images in total.
Kohori Yakushi
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Thousand-Armed Kannon Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
広島県山県郡北広島町古保利10224
Visiting Status On display in the repository (9:00–16:30; last admission 16:00; closed Mondays and year-end/New Year holidays)
DignityNobilitySolemnity
This wooden standing Thousand-Armed Kannon, displayed in the Kohori Yakushi repository, dates to the early Heian period in the 9th century. The 170 cm image is carved from a single block of wood, remarkably including many of its subsidiary arms in the same timber as the torso. Its graceful face and full, weighty body strongly express the sculptural character of the Jogan style. Together with three Eleven-Faced Kannon images, a Kisshoten, and the Four Heavenly Kings, it is designated a Important Cultural Property and is one of the outstanding early-Heian images preserved at Kohori Yakushi.
Jikoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Goko Shiyui Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
広島県尾道市西土堂町9-2
Visiting Status Interior viewing available (9:00–16:30; admission ¥300)
WarmthDepthPeacefulness
This wooden seated Goko Shiyui Amida Nyorai is the principal image of Jikoji Temple’s Main Hall. It was created in 1702 by the master Buddhist sculptor Hokkyō Ansei, with the temple’s 29th head priest Shinku Teigan as patron. Probably made of hinoki cypress in joined-wood construction, the statue measures 112 cm in height. Its greatly enlarged mass of hair symbolizes Amida’s inconceivably long period of contemplation over how to save all beings. With both its date and sculptor known and much of its original form preserved, it is an especially valuable example and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Hiroshima Prefecture.
Kohori Yakushi
Buddhist Image Three Wooden Standing Eleven-Faced Kannon Images Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
広島県山県郡北広島町古保利10224
Visiting Status On display in the repository (9:00–16:30; last admission 16:00; closed Mondays and year-end/New Year holidays)
NobilityDepthSolemnity
Three wooden standing Eleven-Faced Kannon images are displayed in the Kohori Yakushi repository. All date to the early Heian period in the 9th century and are carved from single blocks of wood. Together with the Thousand-Armed Kannon, Kisshoten, and the Four Heavenly Kings, they form part of the remarkable group of ancient Buddhist images preserved at Kohori Yakushi. The group may have gathered images from subsidiary temples of the former complex, which tradition says once numbered forty-nine at its height. All three Eleven-Faced Kannon figures are designated National Important Cultural Properties and form an impressive ensemble reflecting regional Buddhist culture of the early Heian period.
Saikokuji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Kongo Rikishi Statues (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
広島県尾道市西久保町29-27
Visiting Status Viewable at the Niomon Gate (temple visiting hours 8:00–17:00)
PowerDignityWarmth
Two wooden Kongo Rikishi statues stand in Saikokuji Temple’s Niomon Gate. The pair consists of Agyo and Ungyo, and the Onomichi tourism association dates them to the late Muromachi period. More than two-meter-long giant straw sandals are dedicated at the gate so worshippers can pray for strong legs by invoking the power of the Kongo Rikishi, a tradition that continues today. The statues can be seen directly from the temple’s main approach and are among Saikokuji’s most distinctive Buddhist images.
Kohori Yakushi
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Kisshoten Category Tenbu (Deva)
広島県山県郡北広島町古保利10224
Visiting Status On display in the repository (9:00–16:30; last admission 16:00; closed Mondays, or the following day when Monday is a holiday, and Dec. 28–Jan. 4)
NobilityRefinementSolemnity
This wooden standing Kisshoten is displayed in the Kohori Yakushi repository. Dating to the early Heian period in the 9th century, it is carved from a single block of wood and belongs to the same group of ancient images as the Thousand-Armed Kannon, three Eleven-Faced Kannon figures, and the Four Heavenly Kings. The group may have gathered images from subsidiary temples of the former complex, which tradition says once numbered forty-nine at its height. These sculptures were collectively designated National Important Cultural Properties on February 2, 1962, and are now on permanent display in the repository.
Kosanji Temple Museum / Kosanji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Shaka Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
広島県尾道市瀬戸田町瀬戸田553-2
Visiting Status On permanent display in the Kongokan Gallery (9:00–17:00, open year-round)
RefinementPeacefulnessSolemnity
This wooden standing Shaka Nyorai is on permanent display in the Kongokan Gallery of the Kosanji Temple Museum. Dating to the Heian period, it was formerly preserved at Jinguji Temple in Mie Prefecture. It is one of the museum’s representative Buddhist sculptures and is designated a Important Cultural Property. It is currently shown in the Kongokan Buddhist art permanent exhibition; the museum is open year-round from 9:00 to 17:00.
Zenkonji Repository
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Tobatsu Bishamonten Category Tenbu (Deva)
広島県三原市小坂町1165
Visiting Status Open to the public on the third Sunday of odd-numbered months (9:00–12:00; may be canceled in rain)
PowerDignityMystery
This wooden standing Tobatsu Bishamonten is displayed at the Zenkonji Repository. Dating to the first half of the Heian period, around the 9th–10th centuries, it measures 170 cm in height including the base. The figure is carved from a single block of wood down through the base, and the drapery across the abdomen shows the distinctive honpa-style carving technique. Tobatsu Bishamonten is a rare protective form associated with guarding fortified cities, and examples are especially scarce in Hiroshima Prefecture. The statue was designated an Important Cultural Property of Hiroshima Prefecture in 1970 and is shown to the public on the third Sunday of odd-numbered months.