Kan'on-ji Temple (Susaki)

Overview

Kan'on-ji is a Buddhist temple in the city of Susaki, Kochi Prefecture, carrying the mountain name Muryozan and belonging to the Chizan branch of Shingon Buddhism. Its principal image is Sho Kannon (the Sacred Avalokiteshvara), and the temple holds the status of a "bangai" (extra, unnumbered) sacred site of the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage, while also being counted as the 57th temple of the New Shikoku Mandala Pilgrimage.

Highlights

• ●Mountain name "Muryozan," of the Chizan branch of Shingon Buddhism
• ●Sho Kannon enshrined as the principal image
• ●Status as a bangai sacred site of the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage
• ●Ranked 57th on the New Shikoku Mandala Pilgrimage

History

What sets the temple apart is that it is not one of the official 88 numbered temples but rather a "bangai" site alongside the main pilgrimage route, while at the same time holding a place as temple 57 on the separate New Shikoku Mandala Pilgrimage. Detailed records of its founding are limited, but as a Chizan-branch Shingon temple enshrining Sho Kannon, it continues to serve the faith of the local community.

Map

33.4033, 133.2859 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Pass through the temple gate into the grounds of Muryozan Kan'on-ji
2. 2Offer a prayer before the principal image of Sho Kannon
3. 3Reflect on the imagery of Fudaraku evoked in the temple's pilgrimage hymn
4. 4Continue on to nearby pilgrimage trails or other temples around Susaki

Did you know?

💡 A pilgrimage hymn (goeika) associated with the temple speaks of "Fudaraku, where white waves come again and again to the shore" — evoking Kannon's Pure Land of Fudaraku (Potalaka) and the waves repeatedly reaching the coast, as an image of pilgrims offering their prayers over and over.

Nearby spots