Virtual Old Awa 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Kannon-ji Temple

    

     Kannon-ji Temple was founded in 717. Tradition has it that an earthquake hit the area and dried a pond.  The guardian snake of the pond brought a disaster to the area.  The snake was eliminated by En Ozuno (634-701).

     The precincts has a cave in which the stone statue of Ozuno is enshrined.

     In the Eight Dog Chronicles, Tale of Eight Dogs, or Biographies of Eight Dogs by Kyokutei Bakin (1767-1848), it was out of the cave that En Ozuno emerged in front of Fuse Hime, and he gave her a Buddhist rosary with the Chinese characters for Humanity, Justice, Courtesy, Intellect, Loyalty, Trust, Faithfulness, and Observance.  The precincts even has the Vajira Spring, which was gushed by Ozuno with his psychic power.

     The temple used to be the shrine temple of Suzaki Shrine nearby.

     The precincts also has a colony of Japanese silver grass, whose first blade was believed to have been planted by Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) when he escaped from Izu Province after he had raised his first army in failure.

Address: 1331 Sunosaki, Tateyama, Chiba 294-0316

Phone: 0470-29-0833