Kyoto Rakusei 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

     Nishinooka (literally Western Hill) 33 Kannon Pilgrimage was organized sometime between 14th and 18th centuries.  “Western Hills” lay west to Kyoto, and people associated the phrase with the Western Pure Land of Amida to form a set of holy precincts there.

     The Kansai area, at large, has had Saigoku 33 Kannnon Pilgrimage since the 8th century.  In Kyoto, the reduced-size copy of 33 Kannon pilgrimage had been already organized by Emperor Go-Shirakawa (1127-1192) under the name of Rakuyo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  Organizing another set might have meant the large enough needs for 33 Kannon pilgrimage in Kyoto.

     The member temples Nishinooka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, however, experienced the expulsion of Buddhism during the Meiji Restoration, and World Wars.  Some were even closed down.  In March, 1978, they started reorganizing themselves under the name of Rakusei 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.  Kyoto was sometimes called Rakuyo, copying the Chinese Ancient capital, Luoyang, whose Chinese characters are pronounced as Rakuyo in Japanese.  Rakusei means the Western Kyoto.