Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage Explained

The is a pilgrimage of thirty-three Buddhist temples throughout the Kansai region of Japan, similar to the Shikoku Pilgrimage. In addition to the official thirty-three temples, there are an additional three known as . The principal image in each temple is Kannon, known to Westerners as the Bodhisattva of Compassion (sometimes translated as 'Goddess of Mercy'); however, there is some variation among the images and the powers they possess.

It is traditional for pilgrims to wear white clothing and conical straw hats and to carry walking sticks. While the route was historically traveled by foot, today pilgrims usually use cars or trains. Pilgrims record their progress with a, which the temple staff mark with red stamps and Japanese calligraphy indicating the temple number, the temple name, and the specific name of the Kannon image. Some pilgrims receive the stamps and calligraphy on wall scrolls (for a decorative hanging) and on their white coats (to be cremated in) as well.

The goeika songs of the 33 temples are widely known and frequently grouped together.

No.TempleHonzon (main image)City/Ward/TownPrefectureImageCoordinates
1Seiganto-jiNyoirin Kannon
(Cintāmani-cakra)
NachikatsuuraWakayama33.6692°N 135.8898°W
2Ki-mii-deraJūichimen Kannon
(Ekādaśamukha)
WakayamaWakayama34.1852°N 135.19°W
3Kokawa-deraSenju Kannon
(Sahasra-bhuja Sahasra-netra)
KinokawaWakayama34.281°N 135.4059°W
4Sefuku-jiSenju Kannon
(Sahasra-bhuja Sahasra-netra)
IzumiOsaka34.3929°N 135.5116°W
5Fujii-deraSenju Kannon
(Sahasra-bhuja Sahasra-netra)
FujiideraOsaka34.5702°N 135.5966°W
6Minamihokke-ji (Tsubosaka-dera)Senju Kannon
(Sahasra-bhuja Sahasra-netra)
TakatoriNara34.4264°N 135.8099°W
7Oka-deraNyoirin Kannon
(Cintāmani-cakra)
AsukaNara34.4718°N 135.8284°W
BangaiHōki-inSakuraiNara34.5328°N 135.9099°W
8Hase-deraJūichimen Kannon
(Ekādaśamukha)
SakuraiNara34.5359°N 135.9068°W
9Nan'endō (Kofuku-ji)Fukūkenjaku Kannon
(Amoghapāśa)
NaraNara34.6825°N 135.8303°W
10Mimuroto-jiSenju Kannon (Sahasra-bhuja)UjiKyoto34.9005°N 135.8192°W
11Kami Daigo-jiJuntei Kannon (Cundi)Fushimi-ku, KyotoKyoto34.951°N 135.8196°W
12Shōhō-ji (Iwama-dera)Senju Kannon (Sahasra-bhuja)OtsuShiga34.933°N 135.8784°W
13Ishiyama-deraNyoirin Kannon
(Cintāmani-cakra)
OtsuShiga34.9604°N 135.9056°W
14Mii-deraNyoirin Kannon
(Cintāmani-cakra)
OtsuShiga35.0134°N 135.8529°W
BangaiGankei-jiKyotoKyoto34.9886°N 135.8012°W
15Imakumano Kannon-jiJūichimen Kannon
(Ekādaśamukha)
Higashiyama-ku, KyotoKyoto34.9797°N 135.7808°W
16Kiyomizu-deraSenju Kannon
(Sahasra-bhuja Sahasra-netra)
Higashiyama-ku, KyotoKyoto34.9948°N 135.785°W
17Rokuharamitsu-jiJūichimen Kannon
(Ekādaśamukha)
Higashiyama-ku, KyotoKyoto34.9971°N 135.7733°W
18Chōhō-ji (Rokkaku-dō)Nyoirin Kannon
(Cintāmani-cakra)
Nakagyo-ku, KyotoKyoto35.0072°N 135.7603°W
19Gyōgan-ji (Kōdō)Senju Kannon (Sahasra-bhuja)Nakagyo-ku, KyotoKyoto35.0163°N 135.7678°W
20Yoshimine-deraSenju Kannon (Sahasra-bhuja)Nishikyo-kuKyoto34.9382°N 135.6442°W
21Anao-jiShō Kannon
(Aryavalokitesvara)
KameokaKyoto35.0067°N 135.5492°W
22Sōji-jiSenju Kannon (Sahasra-bhuja)IbarakiOsaka34.8291°N 135.5816°W
23Katsuō-jiSenju Kannon (Sahasra-bhuja)MinohOsaka34.8658°N 135.4911°W
24Nakayama-deraJūichimen Kannon
(Ekādaśamukha)
TakarazukaHyōgo34.8217°N 135.3677°W
BangaiBodai-jiSandaHyōgo34.9404°N 135.2405°W
25Kiyomizu-deraSenju Kannon (Sahasra-bhuja)KatōHyōgo34.9725°N 135.0818°W
26Ichijō-jiShō Kannon
(Aryavalokitesvara)
KasaiHyōgo34.8593°N 134.819°W
27Engyō-jiNyoirin Kannon
(Cintāmani-cakra)
Hyōgo34.8911°N 134.6581°W
28Nariai-jiShō Kannon
(Aryavalokitesvara)
MiyazuKyoto35.5954°N 135.1874°W
29Matsunoo-deraBatō Kannon (Hayagrīva)MaizuruKyoto35.4974°N 135.4694°W
30Hōgon-jiSenju Kannon
(Sahasra-bhuja Sahasra-netra)
NagahamaShiga35.4211°N 136.1432°W
31Chōmei-jiSenju Kannon
Jūichimen Kannon
Shō Kannon
ŌmihachimanShiga35.1627°N 136.064°W
32Kannonshō-jiSenju Kannon
(Sahasra-bhuja Sahasra-netra)
ŌmihachimanShiga35.1447°N 136.161°W
33Kegon-jiJūichimen Kannon
(Ekādaśamukha)
IbigawaGifu35.5374°N 136.6079°W

See also

External links