Osu Kannon Temple

Huge lantern at Osu Kannon Temple
Osu Kannon Temple was a very exciting temple to visit. It is located in a 'happening' shopping area and hot spot. There was a crowd of people visiting the temple and it had a wonderfully huge lantern. People seem to just hang out along with the pidgeon. It has a really long history, like so many other famous temples, going back to the Kamakura era and was built in 1324! It was originally built in was is today Hashina city in the Gifu prefecture. I don't know how the temple was moved, but it was moved to Nagoya by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1612. There is an extensive description of how the temple was founded. But to summarize, the founder of the temple, Noushin Shounin (a holy priest)had a vision of the holy figure Kannon (Avalokitesvara) who appeared as a carved image of Kannon in Shitennouj temple in Sessyu (Osaka). I just loved this temple and want to come back! The carved image of Kannon was then relocated and Kannon temple was dedicated to this figure. The spiritual power of this temple is famous throughout Japan and also includes certain spiritual treasures that remain at the temple til this day. Kannon is known for great compassion which is of benefit to all people. This perhaps can explain the throngs of people that came by to pray. I will have to return so that I can look for the treasures and scrutinize the Kannon figure closely. I also noticed a beautiful taiko drum by the altar.

Taiko!




Just down the Osu Kannon shopping strip, I came across several other shrines and temples. One caught my eye because it had beautiful lanterns all over the place. The inner shrine featured a taiko drum, which I had to take a photo of, in my excitment. Here is the taiko in it's very traditional and spritual place.

Taiko!

Another shrine, off the Osu Kannon way, had an alley of fox like creatures, which I adored, and of course took a picture of here. Apparently these canine like statues serve as guardians of the shrine. This shrine which is entered via a path that is lined with these canine creatures, is well guarded by all acounts. I have never seen so many shrines and temples clustered together in such short proximity.