Arako Kannon (temple)

official name is "Johkai-san Enryuu-in Kannon-ji "
Tendai School

main temple

Arako Kannon is known as one of four major Kannon temples in Owari region (East part of Aichi Pref.)
with Kasadera-Kannon (Minami-ku, Nagoya), Ryuusen-ji (Moriyama-ku, Nagoya) and and Jimoku-ji (Jimokuji-cho).
It was established by a monk, Taichou-Taishi. in 729.
The main temple had destroyed by a fire many times and rebuilt again of each time.
The latest fire broke out in 1994 and rebuilt 1997.
But the two story pagoda called Tahouto has been kept since the last construction in 1536.
This is the oldest wooden structure in Nagoya City.

In Arako Kannon, they have approximately 1240 images of Budda carved by Enkuu (1632-1696).
We can view them in the afternoon of the 2nd Saturday every month.
Enkuu is a very famous monk who traveled many places in Japan, from Hokkaido to Shikoku and Kyushuu,
and carved so many images of Buddha so called Enku-butsu.
He was close to the 10th monk of Arako-Kannon, Ensei.
Maybe, that is why he left such number of the images of Buddha there.

Now 4562 Enku-butsu were found in Japan.
Aichi Pref. 3,116 (include 1240 images in Arako-Kannon)
Gifu Pref. 1,103, Saitama Pref. 113, Hokkaido 44
Toyama Pref. 30, others 156

The pagoda which keeps typical style of the later Muromachi period was rebuilt in 1536 and the oldest wooden building in Nagoya. It was designated as Japan's important cultural property.	image of Seikanzeon-bosatsu	memorial statures for abortioned baby or very short life babys

fee
basically free
If you would like to have a look at the images of Buddha carved by Enkuu, it costs 500yen
(They are opened only on the 2nd Saturday of each month.)

open
8:00a.m.-4:00p.m.

access
Get off at Takabata sta. on the Hiigashiyama subway line.
Take exit 2. Turn to left and turn to left again at the first traffic signal.
Walk 10 min.

138 Miyamado, Arako-cho, Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya
TEL: 052-361-1778