Kannonshō-ji Temple

Overview

Kannonshō-ji is an independent temple of the Tendai tradition in the Azuchi district of Ōmihachiman, Shiga Prefecture. Its full name is Kinugasa-san Kannonshō-ji, and its main hall stands high on Mount Kinugasayama on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, at an elevation of about 370 meters. The principal image is a statue of Senju (Thousand-Armed) Kannon, and as the 32nd stop on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage the temple has long drawn worshippers.

Highlights

• ●The 32nd Saigoku Kannon stop, enshrining a Thousand-Armed Kannon
• ●Sweeping views of the Ōmi plain from 370 meters up
• ●A site built upon the ruins of the Rokkaku clan's Kannonji Castle
• ●A pilgrimage hymn long chanted by visiting worshippers

History

Temple tradition traces its founding back to the year 605. In later centuries the mountain became the site of Kannonji Castle, stronghold of the Rokkaku clan who served as military governors of Ōmi, so the temple grew alongside the fortress on the heights. Besides the Saigoku route, it is counted among the Ōmi Saigoku Thirty-Three, the Shinbutsu Reijō pilgrimage path, and the Lake Biwa 108 Sacred Sites.

Map

35.1447, 136.1610 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head from Azuchi or Notogawa Station toward the foot of Mount Kinugasayama
2. 2Climb the stone approach and mountain road to the summit precincts
3. 3Pay respects at the main hall and receive the pilgrimage seal
4. 4Take in the panorama of Lake Biwa and the Ōmi plain

Did you know?

💡 The temple's pilgrimage hymn speaks of travelers who make their way from distant lands, mirroring the devotion of those who journey far to worship Kannon. Standing on the ruins of a castle, this mountain sanctuary embodies the layered history unique to the Ōmi region.

Nearby spots