33 Kannon Statues at Taicho-ji

Make a pilgramage to achieve 48,000 days' happiness!

Takako Sakamoto Oct 13, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Thirty-three statues of Kannon Bosatsu (Goddess of Mercy) like this are spread out around a silent woods</p>

<p>The stone torii gate stands at the entrance of 'Thirty-three Kannon Bosatsu' pilgrimage path in the woods</p>

<p>The statues of Kannon Bosatsu line the path</p>

<p>Looking at the entrance torii gate in the distance from the number three Kannon Bosatsu statue</p>

<p>Statue Number six sits silently on the ground on which some brown leaves have fallen</p>

<p>Statue Number seven of Kannon Bosatsu has a lotus flower in her hand</p>

<p>A small Jizo statue sitting silently at the foot of one of the Kannon Bosatsu statues</p>

<p>Here, you can enjoy the silent woods all to yourself...what a luxury!</p>

<p>Divine statue of Kannon Bosatsu in a serene forest setting</p>

<p>Statue Number thirteen has a little bit of a comical face</p>

<p>Number seventeen and eighteen have their own shelter!</p>

<p>Number twenty-eight...I've come this far!</p>

<p>Statue Number twenty-six has yellow moss on its body</p>

<p>Statue Number thirty-one under the setting sun</p>

<p>Number thirty-three...YES! I made it!</p>

The principal Buddhist image of Taicho-ji Temple in Fukui is the 'Kannon Bosatsu (Goddess of Mercy) with twelve hands', which was carved by the temple's founder, Taicho Daishi himself. There are also thirty-three Kannon statues in the temple grounds. It is said that if you visit all thirty-three of them here, you will be happy for 48,000 days. I did the math and that equals more than 131 years, which means my happiness for the rest of my life will be guaranteed. OK, deal! I made a pilgrimage to all thirty-three of them. But so far I don't feel any change in the happiness department of my life. I wonder what went wrong?!

Taicho-ji Temple Series

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...