Jinguji Temple, Soto Zen
Main Image Wooden Standing Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
Impression TagsMysterySolemnityDepth
DescriptionThe principal image of Jinguji's Kannon Hall is a wooden standing Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Kannon Bosatsu, believed to date from the 12th century in the late Heian period and regarded as the oldest Buddhist statue in the area. Just over 107 cm high, it is carved from a single block of cherry wood, bears eleven small faces above its head and has forty-two arms. White clay is applied to the flesh and vermilion to the garments, while the thick, substantial body and mysterious form are distinctive. It was designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Niigata Prefecture in 1971. Normally kept hidden inside a cabinet, it is unveiled to the public every January 17 and July 15–17. A 33-day extended unveiling is also held once every 33 years; in 2026 it ran from July 17 to August 18.
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