The white elephant, standing guard (Photo: Todd Wojnowski)

Kannon-ji Temple

Charming small-town temple in mountainous Saitama

Todd Wojnowski   - 1 min read

Hanno City is a quaint, charming area of Saitama Prefecture. Big enough to make it worth your while, yet small enough to qualify as a back-to-nature getaway, it is tucked into the mountains and surrounded by hiking trails. Schedule your route to peace and quiet through Kannon Temple, a small but intriguing area that demands the attention of people walking by. Highlighted by a large white elephant statue, Kannon Temple consists of a collection of old-time buildings that are laid out in a way that fits the atmosphere of the town: laid back and worthy of poking around. Particularly beautiful when highlighted by the autumnal colors, Kannon Temple also offers a beautiful view of the river running across the street.

Todd Wojnowski

Todd Wojnowski @todd.wojnowski

I am an avid backpacker, writer, marathon runner, hiker, eater of spicy foods, watcher of B-movies, and user of the Harvard comma. I'm originally from Buffalo, New York, and arrived in Japan in 2008.