Overview
Shakugo-ji is a temple in Karakawa, Takatsuki-cho, Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture. It bears the mountain name Toki-san and stands quietly on the mid-slope of Mount Yurugi. Long cherished as the Korori Kannon, a Kannon said to turn misfortune into fortune, it preserves two Important Cultural Properties from the Heian period: a wooden standing Bodhisattva and a wooden standing Thousand-Armed Kannon, making it a leading sacred site of Kannon faith in the Kohoku region.
Highlights
- ●Heian-period wooden standing Bodhisattva and Thousand-Armed Kannon, both Important Cultural Properties
- ●Devotion to the Korori Kannon, said to turn misfortune into benefit
- ●The towering giant cedar of Shakugo-ji within the precincts
- ●The Sennichie ceremony on July 10, drawing many worshippers each year
History
Shakugo-ji preserves a wooden standing Bodhisattva and a wooden standing Thousand-Armed Kannon, both crafted in the Heian period and both designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The temple is said to have flourished after receiving an estate donated by Ashikaga Takauji. Venerated as the Korori Kannon, which turns misfortune into benefit, it has been passed down that visiting three times would free one from the suffering of illness and lead to rebirth in paradise.
Access
The temple lies in Karakawa, Takatsuki-cho, Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, standing on the mid-slope of Mount Yurugi. The area around Takatsuki, in the Kohoku region north of Lake Biwa, is known as a land of Kannon. As it sits in a mountain setting, it is reassuring to check in advance through official information about how to visit and arrange viewing of the images.
Best season
The Sennichie ceremony, held every July 10, is a special occasion that draws many worshippers. The season of fresh greenery, when the famous cedar of Shakugo-ji stands out, and autumn, when the Kohoku countryside turns color, are also highlights. Throughout the year the temple offers quiet moments of prayer.
Map
35.4916, 136.2165 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Head to Takatsuki-cho in Nagahama and take in the scenery of Kohoku, a land of Kannon
- 2Visit Shakugo-ji on the mid-slope of Mount Yurugi and pay respects before its two Important Cultural Property Kannon images
- 3Pray to the Korori Kannon for warding off misfortune and look up at the famous cedar of Shakugo-ji
- 4If it is July 10, time your visit with the Sennichie ceremony and connect with Kohoku's Kannon faith
Did you know?
💡 The temple name is written with characters that are unusually read as Shakugo-ji. The towering cedar of Shakugo-ji within the precincts is known as a giant tree that has watched over the temple's long history. The nickname Korori Kannon, a Kannon that turns misfortune into fortune, speaks to a devotion unique to this temple.
Nearby spots
Traveler reviews0
No reviews yet. Be the first to share!