Find Buddhist Spots
A connection with a Buddha image may appear unexpectedly. Search for places that may lead you to your own My Buddha.
Kannon Hall at the Former Chinese Residence
Buddhist Image Kanzeon Bosatsu Image Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
長崎県長崎市館内町5-14
Visiting Status Normally open for worship (9:00–17:00, generally daily; may close in typhoons, snow or dangerous weather)
WarmthDepthStillness
Kannon Hall stands in the former Chinese residential compound where traders arriving in Nagasaki lived during the Edo period. It is believed to have been established in 1737 by merchants from Fujian Province. Today an image of Kanzeon Bodhisattva is enshrined on the right side of the main hall as visitors face it, while a statue of the deified Chinese general Guan Yu occupies the left. This shared space preserves the blending of Buddhist and Chinese folk traditions distinctive to Nagasaki. Destroyed in a fire in 1784, the hall was rebuilt and subsequently renovated. The arched stone gate is said to survive from the original compound. Nagasaki City maintains the site as a designated municipal historic site and makes the hall available for worship. The date, sculptor, and cultural-property status of the present Kannon image have not been established.
Fukuishizan Seiganji Temple (Fukuishi Kannon)
Buddhist Image Five Hundred Rakan Stone Images (about 142 survive) Category Other
長崎県佐世保市若葉町（福石観音清岩寺裏山・龍神洞穴）
Visiting Status Outdoor worship in a rock cave is possible (about 10 minutes' walk uphill from the main hall; confirm cave-access restrictions and weather conditions beforehand)
DepthMysteryStillness
Behind Fukuishi Kannon in Sasebo is Rakan Cave, a huge crescent-shaped sandstone hollow approximately 60 meters wide, four meters high and five meters deep. Stone images of the Five Hundred Rakan, each with distinct expressions and postures, are arranged in the cave. Tradition says Kukai first enshrined them in the early ninth century, and Hirado lord Matsura Kiyoshi restored the site in 1788. Around 142 figures survive after centuries of losses and postwar dispersal. The combination of evergreen forest, rocky hollow and Buddhist carvings forms the scenic Fukuishiyama site within the Hirado Eight Views, nationally designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty in 2015. Separate from the main hall's Eleven-faced Kannon, the stone Rakan are a striking example of Buddhist sculpture within a natural rock setting.
Saikyoji Temple (Nishi-Koyasan)
Buddhist Image Large Kakebotoke with Eleven-faced Kannon, Fudo Myo-o and Bishamonten Category Bodhisattva / Wisdom King / Deva
長崎県平戸市岩の上町1206
Visiting Status Normally on display (museum 8:30–17:00, closed Thursdays, admission fee; confirm exhibitions and temporary closures before visiting)
DignityNobilitySolemnity
In the Reihokan Treasure Museum at Saikyoji is an exceptionally large kakebotoke, a hanging Buddhist icon about 1.5 meters in diameter. Its circular cypress board is covered with bronze plates. A standing Eleven-faced Kannon holding a water flask occupies the center, flanked by Fudo Myoo and Bishamonten. The outer rim is ornamented with alternating vajra and Dharma-wheel designs, while lion-head suspension fittings hang from the upper edge. Nagasaki Prefecture attributes the work to around the Momoyama period and designates it a Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property. It originally belonged to Chorakuji Temple on Ojika Island and was transferred to Saikyoji after that temple closed in the early Meiji period. The large hanging relief provides a rare opportunity to see several Buddhist figures in a devotional form quite different from freestanding statues.
Ikitsuki Daigyoran Kannon (Ikitsuki Kannon Hall)
Buddhist Image Wooden Kannon Images (About 70 Figures, Including a Smaller Fish-Basket Kannon) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
長崎県平戸市生月町山田免570-1
Visiting Status Pedestal interior normally open (March–October 8:30–17:00, November–February 8:30–16:30, free; closed December 31, shorter hours around New Year)
GentlenessWarmthSolemnity
Inside the pedestal of the eighteen-meter-high Great Fish-Basket Kannon overlooking Tachiura Fishing Port is a separate collection of Buddhist images invisible from outside. At its heart is a smaller Fish-Basket Kannon made at one-tenth the scale of the outdoor statue, accompanied by around seventy Buddhist images, including carved wooden Kannon figures. The Great Kannon was erected in 1980 as a focus of prayers for safe fishing voyages and remembrance of those lost at sea and the creatures of the sea. Visitors can now worship the different Kannon images up close inside its base. The Hirado Tourism Association confirms free access to the pedestal interior, with seasonal viewing hours published by travel guides. Unlike the monumental bronze figure outdoors, this intimate space offers a densely assembled collection of wooden devotional sculptures.
Fugenzan Ryushoji Temple
Buddhist Image Giant Standing Fudo Myo-o (13.8 meters high) Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
長崎県南島原市深江町戊3987-35
Visiting Status Normally accessible for worship from the grounds (outdoor image; the temple welcomes visitors; advance contact is recommended for those traveling from afar; official visiting hours are not published)
PowerDignitySolemnity
A towering standing figure of Fudo Myoo, 13.8 meters high, welcomes visitors to Ryushoji at the foot of Mount Unzen-Fugen on the Shimabara Peninsula. Prominently presented on the temple's official website, its powerful gaze and commanding stance evoke the protective force of Fudo Myoo in esoteric Buddhism. Ryushoji is a Shingon temple and the sixty-fourth stop on the Kyushu Eighty-Eight Temple Pilgrimage and twenty-second stop on the Kyushu Thirty-Six Fudo Pilgrimage. Eruptions of Mount Unzen-Fugen beginning in 1990 forced road closures and led to the temporary relocation of the principal image and worship services. Today the expansive grounds overlook the volcano and the Ariake Sea, letting visitors view the great Fudo against a dramatic natural landscape. The statue's material, sculptor and date of creation have not been established from official sources.
Matsuura City Archaeological Center (Former Takashima History and Folklore Museum)
Buddhist Image Seated Wooden Shaka Nyorai (Formerly at Ryumen-an) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
長崎県松浦市鷹島町神崎免146
Visiting Status Museum exhibition normally viewable (9:00–17:00; closed Mondays or the next weekday after a public holiday, and December 29–January 3; admission fee; confirm exhibition changes before visiting)
RefinementDepthMystery
This seated wooden Shakyamuni Buddha once stood in the small Ryumen-an chapel on Takashima Island. Local tradition says it was found when a field was cleared during the Edo period and suggests that it may have served as a protective image carried by a commander of the Mongol invasion forces. No firm documentation establishes this origin, so it remains a legend. Ryumen-an occupies a site where Sho-ni Kagesuke is said to have established a military camp during the 1281 invasion; memorial stones to those who died in battle stand nearby. The Buddha is now displayed in the guidance building of the Matsuura City Archaeological Center, successor to the former Takashima History and Folklore Museum. A recent visitor account also documents the wooden seated Buddha on display. It offers a tangible way to consider the intersection of the Mongol invasions and Buddhist devotion on the island.
Myojoin Temple
Buddhist Image Standing Bronze Buddha (Traditionally Identified as Yakushi Nyorai) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
長崎県五島市吉田町1905
Visiting Status Viewing the original image in the Goma Hall requires advance confirmation (general temple visits normally 9:00–17:00, free; closed Mondays and the 1st and 28th of each month, among other dates)
GentlenessRefinementDepth
A small bronze standing Buddha preserved at Myojoin, an old Shingon temple on Fukue Island in the Goto Islands. Believed to date from the mid-seventh century Asuka period, it was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1981. Its slightly oversized head, grid-patterned curls, undergarment at the chest and softly repeated U-shaped folds of the robe illustrate the transition between Asuka and Nara sculptural styles. The youthful face bears a gentle smile. An inscription on its wooden shrine records that it was brought here in 1686 from the now-defunct nearby Torakuji Temple. The temple is normally open to visitors, and tourism information identifies the Goma Hall as the statue's location, but access to the original image should be checked before traveling.
Myojoin Temple
Buddhist Image Standing Wooden Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
長崎県五島市吉田町1905
Visiting Status Viewing the original image in the Goma Hall requires advance confirmation (general temple visits normally 9:00–17:00, free; closed Mondays and the 1st and 28th of each month, among other dates)
GentlenessNobilityRefinement
Myojoin preserves a standing wooden Amida Buddha, 98 cm tall. It is made from two pieces of cypress joined front to back, with a separate head joint. Its full cheeks, carefully formed small curls, gently sloping shoulders and softly flowing shallow robe folds are characteristic of the Fujiwara sculptural style of the late Heian period. A fine example of the traditional three-shaku Amida format, the image is designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Nagasaki Prefecture. Partially legible ink inscriptions within the statue bear years including 1358, 1477 and 1581, testifying to its long history of devotion. Tourism information places it in the Goma Hall alongside the nationally designated bronze standing Buddha. It is a significant example of medieval Buddhist sculpture in the Goto Islands, although the times and conditions for viewing the original should be confirmed in advance.
Jorakuin Temple
Buddhist Image Yamanaka Kanzeon (Kannon Bosatsu Carved from a Single Block of Camphor Wood) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
長崎県南松浦郡新上五島町浦桑郷1205
Visiting Status Original statue viewing requires advance confirmation (official tourism information lists the statue and temple but gives no regular opening hours for the image)
GentlenessNobilityDepth
Jorakuin, a Soto Zen temple in Urakuwago on Nakadori Island, preserves a Kannon figure known as Yamanaka Kanzeon. According to the town and prefectural tourism authorities, it is approximately 99 centimeters tall, carved from a single piece of camphor wood and attributed to the Heian period. Local tradition also associates it with a Buddhist image brought from China. It was designated a Tangible Cultural Property for sculpture by the former town government in April 1998. The temple traces its origins to a Kannon Hall founded in 1187 by Uku Iemori; in 1646 it moved to the present location and became Jorakuin. This old wooden Kannon on a remote island would be well worth seeing, but since the official visitor information does not confirm public access to the hall, travelers should contact the temple or tourism association in advance.
Iwaya Kannon (Iwaya Kannon Hall)
Buddhist Image Seated Sho Kannon Bosatsu and Stone Images of Kannon and Jizo Bodhisattvas Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
長崎県南松浦郡新上五島町青方郷
Visiting Status Stone figures on the path and in the caves can be worshipped outdoors (confirm access to the seated Sho Kannon Bodhisattva image inside the hall beforehand; annual festival January 17–18)
MysteryDepthStillness
Iwaya Kannon is enshrined among natural rock formations on the slopes of Aokata Kannon-dake, a hill approximately 160 meters high. The principal image of its hall is a seated Sho Kannon Bodhisattva attributed to the Muromachi period. Two nearby rock caves contain carved Kannon and Jizo figures, and more than ten stone Buddhist images line the approach, turning the entire hillside into a place of devotion. According to local tradition, the monk Mon'ei of Chofukuji established the sanctuary after a dream instructed him to enshrine Kannon in a rocky hollow where mysterious lights had appeared. An annual festival on January 17 and 18 attracts islanders praying for safe voyages and family well-being. The outdoor stone images can be enjoyed along the path, while access to the principal seated figure inside the hall should be confirmed in advance.
Unganzenji Temple
Buddhist Image Five Hundred Rakan Stone Statues Category Other
熊本県熊本市西区松尾町平山589
Visiting Status Normally open to visitors (8:00–17:00; admission fee)
DepthMysteryStillness
On the rocky slope of the path from Unganzenji Temple to Reigando Cave at the western foot of Mount Kinpo stand stone statues of Buddhist disciples, each with a different expression and posture. They are said to have been made by the stonecarver Ryozen over 24 years beginning in 1779, following a commission by the wealthy Kumamoto merchant Fuchidaya Gihei. Smiling, stern and contemplative faces are among their attractions, and visitors can view the moss-covered figures up close from the path. Paid visits are possible from 8:00 to 17:00.
Unganzenji Temple
Buddhist Image Iwato Kannon (Four-faced Batō Kannon Image) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県熊本市西区松尾町平山589
Visiting Status Reigando Cave is normally accessible (8:00–17:00; admission fee); confirm whether the statue can be viewed up close
MysterySolemnityStillness
Reigando Cave, the inner sanctuary of Unganzenji Temple, enshrines a four-faced Batō Kannon image revered as Iwato Kannon. The temple is said to have been founded in 1351 by Tōryō Eiyo, although devotion to the Kannon is believed to predate the temple. The cave is also known as the place where Miyamoto Musashi wrote The Book of Five Rings. Visitors can reach the cave via the path lined with the Five Hundred Rakan, but should confirm in advance whether the image itself can be viewed at close range.
Daijizenji (Daiji-ji) Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Shaka Nyorai and Two Standing Attendants Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
熊本県熊本市南区野田1-7-1
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (the grounds and main hall are accessible; ask the temple about viewing the images in the Buddha Hall)
DignityRefinementSolemnity
This Soto Zen temple was founded in 1278 by Kangan Giin. Its Buddha Hall houses a wooden seated Shaka Nyorai and two standing attendants, designated Important Cultural Properties by Kumamoto Prefecture. At approximately 3.5 meters high, the Shaka image is among the prefecture's largest wooden Buddhist statues. Dating to the Sengoku period, its substantial form was constructed using joined cypress wood. The grounds can be visited, but anyone wishing to view the statues inside the Buddha Hall should contact the temple beforehand.
Kihara Fudoson (Gankaizan Chojuji Temple)
Buddhist Image Niō Guardian Statues (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
熊本県熊本市南区富合町木原2040
Visiting Status Accessible from the temple grounds (7:00–17:00; free admission)
PowerDignitySolemnity
Two imposing Niō guardian statues, each more than nine shaku tall, stand in the Niomon Gate of Kihara Fudoson (Chojuji), a Tendai Buddhist prayer temple. Ascending the steps, visitors are greeted by the Agyo and Ungyo guardians. The temple's principal image is a standing Fudo Myoo traditionally attributed to Saicho, and fire-walking rites are held during its annual festival on February 28. The gate lies on the normal visitor route through the grounds, which are open free of charge from 7:00 to 17:00.
Rengein Tanjoji Okunoin
Buddhist Image Great Statue of Koen Daibosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県玉名市築地1512-77
Visiting Status Normally open to visitors (9:00–17:00; last admission 16:30; admission fee)
DignitySolemnityPeacefulness
Rengein Tanjoji Okunoin, established in 1978 on the slopes of Mount Shodai, is a Shingon Ritsu site of prayer and Buddhist practice. Its grounds feature an approximately 13-meter-tall great statue honoring Koen, a late-Heian-period Buddhist monk venerated as a great bodhisattva. A climbable five-story pagoda and a large temple bell also stand within the extensive grounds, where visitors can pray before the statue. Admission is charged, with reception open from 9:00 to 17:00 and last entry at 16:30.
Rengein Tanjoji Okunoin
Buddhist Image Great Niō Guardians (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
熊本県玉名市築地1512-77
Visiting Status Normally open to visitors (9:00–17:00; last admission 16:30; admission fee)
PowerDignitySolemnity
Two great Niō guardian figures, each approximately 3.9 meters in overall height, stand in the Niomon Gate along the approach to Rengein Tanjoji Okunoin. The open-mouthed Agyo and closed-mouthed Ungyo face one another, creating an imposing entrance for pilgrims. Founded in 1978, the inner sanctuary is a place of worship and Buddhist practice, with a great statue of Koen Daibosatsu and a five-story pagoda. The guardians can be seen from the approach; reception is open from 9:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30. Admission is charged.
Shingu Zenji Temple
Buddhist Image Six Seated Kannon Bodhisattvas (Eleven-faced, Nyoirin, Thousand-armed, Sho, Juntei and Horse-headed) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県球磨郡錦町大字西1670
Visiting Status Normally closed to viewing (unveiled during coordinated spring and autumn equinox observances; confirm dates)
DignitySolemnityDepth
Shingu Zenji, an Obaku Zen temple and the 32nd site on the Sagara Thirty-three Kannon pilgrimage, houses six large seated images of Eleven-faced, Nyoirin, Thousand-armed, Sho, Juntei and Horse-headed Kannon. Sculpted by different artists between 1577 and 1630, they are designated cultural properties by Nishiki Town. For example, the Eleven-faced and Nyoirin images were carved by Okagetsu, and the Thousand-armed Kannon by Hidaka Minbu Fujiwara Hidenaga. Nyoirin Kannon is revered for prayers for children and safe childbirth. The images are ordinarily not open to viewing but are unveiled during the coordinated spring and autumn openings.
Shorenji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Amida Nyorai and Two Standing Attendants (Kannon and Seishi Bosatsu) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
熊本県球磨郡多良木町大字黒肥地3992
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (the two attendants are on museum loan until November 29, 2026; the complete triad cannot be seen at the temple)
GentlenessNobilityRefinement
The Amida triad enshrined in the thatched Amida Hall was carved in 1295 during the Kamakura period by the In-school sculptor Hoin Ingen and is designated a nationally Important Cultural Property. The principal Amida Nyorai, made of joined wood with crystal-inlaid eyes, is approximately 98 cm tall; the flanking Kannon and Seishi Bodhisattvas are approximately 63 cm tall, with gentle, refined faces. The hall is said to have been founded by Sagara Yorimune in memory of the first lord Yorikage, and the present thatched structure was rebuilt around 1443. Contact the temple in advance to arrange a viewing of the images inside. Only the standing Kannon and Seishi attendants are on loan to a special exhibition at the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art from October 9 to November 29, 2026, so the complete triad cannot be viewed at the temple.
Shorenji Temple
Buddhist Image Jizo Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
熊本県球磨郡多良木町大字黒肥地3992
Visiting Status Confirm in advance (contact the temple to view the statues inside the Amida Hall)
GentlenessDepthStillness
A wooden standing Jizo Bodhisattva approximately 155 cm tall stands at the rear right of the outer area of Shorenji's Amida Hall. The statue dates to the Kamakura period; an inscription beneath its feet identifies its creation in 1288. It is designated an Important Cultural Property by Kumamoto Prefecture. Tradition holds that it was originally enshrined at Shofukuji Temple in today's Asagiri Town and was moved to Shorenji when that temple closed in the Meiji era. This historic figure can be viewed in a separate part of the hall from the Amida triad, subject to advance confirmation with the temple.
Josenji (Joshinji) Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Amida Nyorai with Standing Kannon and Seishi Attendants Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
熊本県球磨郡湯前町瀬戸口5617
Visiting Status On museum loan until November 29, 2026 (Amida triad at the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art; not viewable at the temple)
NobilitySolemnityStillness
The thatched Amida Hall of Josenji (Joshinji), houses an Amida triad designated a nationally Important Cultural Property, with an inscription dated 1229. The seated Amida Nyorai and standing Kannon and Seishi Bodhisattvas are Kamakura-period sculptures made of cypress wood. Their style shows Chinese Song influences, and they are thought to be the work of Kei-school sculptors. The hall is known as one of Kumamoto Prefecture's oldest surviving wooden buildings, with seven- and nine-story stone pagodas also standing on the grounds. The hall is normally closed; visitors must contact the caretakers in advance to view the statues. The triad is on loan to a special exhibition at the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art from October 9 to November 29, 2026 and cannot be viewed at the temple during that period.