Kannon-in Temple

Overview

Kannon-in is a Tendai-sect Buddhist temple in the city of Tottori, Tottori Prefecture. Its full name is Fudarakusan Jigen-ji Kannon-in, and its principal image is the Holy Kannon (Sho Kannon Bosatsu). The Japanese garden within its grounds is celebrated as one of the finest of the early Edo period and is widely known as the Kannon-in Garden. Its pond-centered composition, skillfully making use of the sloping terrain, holds a quiet, refined beauty that invites visitors into a moment of calm.

Highlights

• ●The Kannon-in Garden, a leading scenic garden of the early Edo period
• ●A graceful pond composition making use of the sloping terrain
• ●Standing as one of the eight prayer temples of the Ikeda lords
• ●A sacred site on the Chugoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

History

In the early 1630s the temple was founded at Kuritani by the monk Senden under the name Unkyozan Kannon-in, and around 1639 (Kan'ei 16) it moved to its present site and adopted its current name. Thereafter it flourished as one of the eight prayer temples of the Ikeda family, former lords of the Tottori domain (so designated in 1709), walking a path as a temple of high standing tied to the domain. Together with its garden, designated a Place of Scenic Beauty, it conveys the history of Tottori to this day.

Map

35.4961, 134.2415 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head from central Tottori to Kannon-in and pass through the temple gate
2. 2Offer a prayer to the principal image, the Holy Kannon, in the main hall
3. 3Slowly admire the pond and sloping scenery of the scenic Kannon-in Garden
4. 4After your visit, enjoy a stroll and sightseeing in central Tottori

Did you know?

💡 Kannon-in is counted among the sacred sites of the Chugoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage and is dear to those who follow the pilgrimage route. That its garden is a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty is a distinction that sets it apart among many temples.

Nearby spots