Kanmanji Temple
Main Image Kongo Rikishi (Nio) Category Tenbu (Deva)
Impression TagsPowerDignityTense Presence
DescriptionA pair of Kongo Rikishi statues enshrined at the temple gate of Kanmanji Temple. According to temple tradition, Kanmanji was founded in 853 by the monk Ennin, also known as Jikaku Daishi. The temple is also known as a place visited by the haiku poet Matsuo Basho during his journey recorded in Oku no Hosomichi. The temple gate, believed to date from the Edo period, houses a pair of Nio statues said to have been donated by the Ikoma family, lords of the Yashima Domain. Standing guard at the entrance, the powerful figures continue to watch over this historic temple in Kisakata. The temple grounds are open to the public and also contain monuments associated with Basho and Shinran.
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