Virtual Old Kasai 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #23 Saisho-ji Temple

     Ushigozen Shrine was founded in 860, and Saisho-ji Temple was founded by Priest Ryoben in 877 as its shrine temple.

     The temple is known for its Yellow-eyed Acalanatha statue, one of the 5-color-eyed Acalanatha.  The 4 others included Black-eyed, White-eyed, Red-eyed, and Blue-eyed Acalanatha statues.  The Black-eyed, Meguro in Japanese, and the White-eyed, Mejiro in Japanese, were so popular that they became place names.

     The Yellow-eyed Acalanatha statue was originally enshrined in Toei-ji Temple.  According to oral tradition, Priest Roben (689-774) visited eastern provinces and sensed Acalanatha at the bank of the Sumida River.  He carved an Acalanatha statue, built a hermitage to enshrine it.  Later, the hermitage became Toei-ji Temple.  After the Meiji Restoration, Toei-ji Temple was abolished and the Acalanatha statue was moved to Saisho-ji Temple.  Due to the land rezoning caused by building Komagata Bridge, the temple was moved from Omotecho, Honjo, to its present place in 1912.

Address: 1 Chome-25-32 Hirai, Edogawa City, Tokyo 132-0035

Phone: 03-3681-7857