Spectacular Pagoda and gate.
Peaceful atmosphere.
Short walk distance from Meitetsu line train station.
Some good places to eat around is making it a nice place to visit and spend time
I heard that the preservation and repair work on the Great South Gate of Kannon Temple would be open to the public, and after making a reservation in advance, I was able to take a look.
I originally went to Jimokuji Elementary School, just west of the temple, and I was feeling nostalgic for the days when I used to walk through the temple grounds on my way to school, so I decided to go, thinking that this kind of opportunity doesn't come around very often.
At the moment, almost all of the shingles on the main roof have been removed, but work is continuing, with completion scheduled for the end of next year.
All this happened on a calm autumn day at Kannon Temple.
Jimokuji Kannon is the first of the four great Kannon temples.
It also means "Ear and Eye Kannon."
The Great South Gate is undergoing major renovations in the Reiwa era and is closed to the public until next year, but there's plenty to see, including the three-story pagoda, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property, and the Hexagonal Hall, where Jizo Bodhisattva resides. There are even miniature versions of the 88 sacred sites of Shikoku. I learned that Kannon has many incarnations, and it made me want to learn more about them.
For example, there are the 11-faced Kannon Bodhisattva and the horse-headed Kanze Bodhisattva. Since I visited early in the morning, I was able to head home feeling refreshed. 😌
