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Buddhism for
the Common Folk
The three deities Amida, Kannon, and Jizo became popular among the common folk during the Kamakura Period, and today remain the bedrock of folk Buddhism. Amida for the coming life in paradise, Kannon for salvation in earthly life, and Jizo for salvation from hell.
The Number 33
The number 33 is sacred in Buddhism, for it is believed that Buddha saves mankind by assuming 33 different forms. More accurately, in the land called Shumisen (or Mt. Sumeru), the heavenly palace of the Buddha and all followers, there are 33 deities who guard and protect the realm. They are commanded by Taishakuten, who governs the other 32 gods who live in Zenkenjo (Palace of Correct Views) in the Buddhist heaven (Trayastrimsha) on the peak of Mt. Sumeru; click here for more.
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KANNON - THIS IS A SIDE PAGE
Return to Main Kannon Page OR
Return to Pilgrimage Guide
Japanese Pilgrimages Sacred to the Kannon
KANNON BODHISATTVA (Avalokitesvara)
GODDESS OF MERCY, GOD OF COMPASSION
Help For People in Distress in the Earthly Realm
KANNON -- ORIGINS OF THE KANNON 100 CIRCUIT
The Kannon Pilgrimage to 33 Sites in Saikoku (Western Japan, Kansai) dates from the Heian Period (794-1185 AD), but was reportedly founded earlier, in 718 AD, by the monk Tokudo Shonin 徳道上人. But the circuit did not become widely known. It was rediscovered by Emperor Kazan in 988 AD. By the Tokugawa period, the pouplarity of the Saikoku route led to its replication. Over 236 copies of the route spread throughout Japan, with more than 30% of these circuits located in Eastern Japan. Of these, the Bando 33 route is considered the most important after the original Saikoku pilgrimage. Records are somewhat unclear on the origin of the Bando Pilgrimage. According to the Sugimoto-dera Engi of 1560 AD, the Bando Pilgrimage was designated in 988 AD by Emperor Kazan (aka Emperor Hanayama, 968-1008 AD). According to this text, Kannon Bosatsu appeared to Emperor Kazan in a dream, saying "I have divided into 33 bodies throughout the eight provinces of the Bando area, and a pilgrimage to these 33 sites will bring release from suffering." Emperor Kazan, it is said, visited Sugimoto-dera in Kamakura and designated it as the first temple on the Bando Pilgrimage. In later years, Sugimoto-dera also became the first temple in the Kamakura Pilgrimage to 33 Kannon Sites. But the Bando pilgrimage remained little used and mostly unknown to commoners until after the Genroku Period (1688-1703 AD), when it became popular among lay people. By this time, both the Saikoku and Bando pilgrimages were formally linked to a third circuit, the Chichibu Pilgrimage (Saitama area) to 34 Sites Sacred to Kannon, making a complete circuit of 100 sites (Hyakuban Kannon Fudasho). Click here for more (Adobe PDF file) on the origins of the Kannon 100 Pilgrimage; from the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 1997 23/3-4; story by Mark W. MacWilliams.)
Finally, on the Saikoku and Bando circuits, many temples belong to sects of Esoteric Buddhism. But on the Chichibu circuit, many sites are associated with Zen Buddhism, which in particular revers the Sho Kannon, the "pure" form of the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion.
The traditional 100 Kannon temples fall into three groups:
- 33 Kannon temples of Saigoku (Kansai area)
- 33 Kannon temples of Bando (Kanto area; first four in Kamakura)
- 34 Kannon temples of Chichibu (Valley in Saitama)
- There are many other Kannon circuits throughout Japan. For example, of the 88 temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage, 29 are dedicated to the Kannon. In the Kamakura area (near Tokyo), there are 33 old and famed temples sacred to Kannon. Click here for Kamakura 33. To learn much more, please visit the Pilgrimage Guide.
Saigoku Sanjusankasho Meguri (Western Japan)
Saigoku 1 Seigantoji, Wakayama
Saigoku 2 Kimiidera, Wakayama
Saigoku 3 Kokawadera, Wakayama
Saigoku 4 Makinoodera, Osaka
Saigoku 5 Fujiidera, Osaka
Saigoku 6 Tsubosakadera, Nara
Saigoku 7 Okadera, Nara
Saigoku 8 Bangai Hasedera Hokki-in, Nara
Saigoku 9 Nanendo, Nara
Saigoku 10 Mimurotoji, Kyoto
Saigoku 11 Kami Daigoji, Kyoto
Saigoku 12 Iwamadera, Shiga
Saigoku 13 Ishiyamadera, Shiga
Saigoku 14 Miidera, Shiga
Saigoku 15 Imagumano Kannonji, Kyoto
Saigoku 16 Kiyomizudera, Kyoto
Saigoku 17 Rokuharamitsuji, Kyoto
Saigoku 18 Rokkakudo, Kyoto
Saigoku 19 Kodo, Kyoto
Saigoku 20 Yoshiminedera, Kyoto
Saigoku 21 Anaoji, Kyoto
Saigoku 22 Sojiji, Osaka
Saigoku 23 Katsuoji, Osaka
Saigoku 24 Nakayamadera, Osaka
Saigoku 25 Kiyomizudera, Hyogo
Saigoku 26 Ichijoji, Hyogo
Saigoku 27 Engyoji, Hyogo
Saigoku 28 Nariaiji, Kyoto
Saigoku 29 Matsunoodera, Kyoto
Saigoku 30 Hogonji, Shiga
Saigoku 31 Chomeiji, Shiga
Saigoku 32 Kannonshoji, Shiga
Saigoku 33 Kegonji, Gifu
Bando Pilgrimage to the 33 Holy Places
of KANNON in the Eastern Provinces
Bando 1 Sugimotodera, Kanagawa
Bando 2 Gandenji, Kanagawa
Bando 3 An'yoin, Kanagawa
Bando 4 Hasedera, Kanagawa
Bando 5 Shofukuji, Kanagawa
Bando 6 Hasedera, Kanagawa
Bando 7 Komyoji, Kanagawa
Bando 8 Shokokuji, Kanagawa
Bando 9 Jikoji, Saitama
Bando 10 Shoboji, Saitama
Bando 11 Anrakuji, Saitama
Bando 12 Jionji, Saitama
Bando 13 Sensoji, Tokyo
Bando 14 Gumyoji, Kanagawa
Bando 15 Chokokuji, Gunma
Bando 16 Mizusawadera, Gunma
Bando 17 Manganji, Tochigi
Bando 18 Chuzenji, Tochigi
Bando 19 Oyaji, Tochigi
Bando 20 Saimyoji, Tochigi
Bando 21 Nichirinji, Ibaraki
Bando 22 Satakedera, Ibaraki
Bando 23 Kanzeonji, Ibaraki
Bando 24 Rakuhoji, Ibaraki
Bando 25 Omido, Ibaraki
Bando 26 Kiyotakiji, Ibaraki
Bando 27 Enpukuji, Chiba
Bando 28 Ryushoin, Chiba
Bando 29 Chibadera, Chiba
Bando 30 Kozoji, Chiba
Bando 31 Kasamoriji, Chiba
Bando 32 Kiyomizudera, Chiba
Bando 33 Nagoji, Chiba
Chichibu Pilgramage
Chichibu 1 Shimabuji, Saitama
Chichibu 2 Shimpukuji, Saitama
Chichibu 3 Josenji, Saitama
Chichibu 4 Kinshoji, Saitama
Chichibu 5 Chokoji, Saitama
Chichibu 6 Bokuunji, Saitama
Chichibu 7 Hochoji, Saitama
Chichibu 8 Saizenji, Saitama
Chichibu 9 Akechiji, Saitama
Chichibu 10 Daijiji, Saitama
Chichibu 11 Jorakuji, Saitama
Chichibu 12 Nosakaji, Saitama
Chichibu 13 Jigenji, Saitama
Chichibu 14 Imamiyabo, Saitama
Chichibu 15 Shorinji, Saitama
Chichibu 16 Saikoji, Saitama
Chichibu 17 Jorinji, Saitama
Chichibu 18 Godoji, Saitama
Chichibu 19 Ryusekiji, Saitama
Chichibu 20 Iwanouedo, Saitama
Chichibu 21 Kannonji, Saitama
Chichibu 22 Dojido, Saitama
Chichibu 23 Ongakuji, Saitama
Chichibu 24 Hosenji, Saitama
Chichibu 25 Kyujoji, Saitama
Chichibu 26 Enyuji, Saitama
Chichibu 27 Daienji, Saitama
Chichibu 28 Hashidateji, Saitama
Chichibu 29 Chosenin, Saitama
Chichibu 30 Hounji, Saitama
Chichibu 31 Kannonin, Saitama
Chichibu 32 Hoshoji, Saitama
Chichibu 33 Kikusuiji, Saitama
Chichibu 34 Suisenji, Saitama
Kamakura Pilgrimage - 33 Sites Sacred to Kannon
by Tadahiro Kondo www.asahi-net.or.jp/~QM9T-KNDU
(opens new browser window)
According to the Lotus Sutra, Kannon appears in 33 different transformations in order to perform the tasks of salvation for living beings. Although Kamakura does not have all 33 forms of the Kannon statue, there are nonetheless 33 old and famed temples sacred to Kannon. It has long been believed that visiting these temples in order is an act of great merit. The following is the order of the Kamakura 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.
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Kamakura Pilgrimage - 33 Sites Sacred to Kannon
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Order
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Temple
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Type of Kannon
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1
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Sugimoto-dera
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Eleven-Headed
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2
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Hokaiji
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Jundei
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3
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An-yo-in
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Thousand-Armed
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4
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Hase-dera
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Eleven-Headed
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5
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Raikoji (Nishi-mikado)
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Nyoirin
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6
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Zuisenji
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Thousand-Armed
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7
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Kosokuji (Juniso)
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Sho
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8
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Myo-o-in
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Eleven-Headed
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9
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Jomyoji
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Sho
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10
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Hokokuji
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Sho
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11
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Enmeiji
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Sho
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12
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Kyo-onji
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Sho
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13
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Betsuganji
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Gyoran
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14
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Raikoji (Zaimokuza)
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Sho
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15
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Kofukuji
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Sho
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16
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Kuonji
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Sho
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17
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Fudarakuji
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Eleven-Headed
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18
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Komyoji
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Nyoirin
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19
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Renjo-in (Komyoji)
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Eleven-Headed
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20
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Senju-in (Komyoji)
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Thousand-Armed
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21
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Joju-in
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Sho
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22
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Gokurakuji
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Nyoirin
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23
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Kotoku-in
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Sho
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24
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Jufukuji
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Eleven-Headed
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25
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Jokomyoji
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Thousand-Armed
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26
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Kaizoji
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Eleven-Headed
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27
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Myoko-in (Kenchoji)
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Sho
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28
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Kenchoji
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Thousand-Armed
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29
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Ryuho-in (Kenchoji)
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Sho
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30
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Meigetsu-in
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Sho
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31
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Jochiji
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Sho
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32
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Tokeiji
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Sho
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33
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Butsunichi-an (Engakuji)
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Eleven-Headed
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LEARN MORE
- GUIDE TO PILGRIMAGES IN JAPAN (this site)
- Manjushri Buddhist Directory
www.manjushri.com/BUDDHA/Avalokitesvara.html
A wonderful site that combines research with photos, and provides the Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan names of the various deities.
- www.mandala.co.jp/echoes/
Of the 88 temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage (aka Kobo Daishi Pilgrimage), 29 are dedicated to the Kannon. Please click here for outside link to site. By Don Weiss.
- Other Kannon Pilgrimage Web Sites
www.asahi-net.or.jp/~QM9T-KNDU/pilgrims.htm
www.japanpilgrimage.com/
www.taleofgenji.org/saigoku_pilgrimage.html
www.koyasan.org/nckoyasan/2004-Pilgrimage.pdf
- A special "thank you" to James Baquet, who has done the pilgrimage to all 100 traditional sites sacred to the Kannon. The above pilgrimage lists were drawn in part from his "Connected Japan" and "Aki Meguri" web sites, which are regrettably no longer available online.
This is a SIDE PAGE about the Kannon.
CLICK HERE to return to main Kannon page
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO PILGRIMAGE GUIDE
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