Virtual Tama River 34 Kannon Pilgrimage #6 Kannon-ji Temple

     Kannon-ji Temple was founded by Priest Kanchi.  It is unknown when it was founded.  The main deity is the statue of Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six.  The statue is said to have been carved by Ennin (794-864).

     Kannon-ji Temple was revived by Priest Ryoden in 1668.

     Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, all the domain governments were to register their people.  In 1664, the shogunate further ordered to add the information on people's religions.  In 1665, the shogunate ordered to exclude the Nichiren Fuju-fuse School, which was a subsect of the Buddhist Nichiren Sect, from the registration.  The people who had belong to the school were forced to convert to other sects or schools.  The registration system was completed in 1671.

     Tightening the control over people’s religions meant a business chance for authorized Buddhist sects and schools to increase the number of their branch temples.  Kannon-ji Temple was revived on one of those days.  Ryoden took the business chance, changed a small hall with a Cintamanicakra statue into a temple, and became a priest of the temple.  He might have little sense of naming, without giving more decorative name.

Address: 3 Chome-20-54 Nakanoshima, Tama Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-0012

Phone: 044-911-7599