Virtrual Shinobu Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #8 Kannon-ji Temple

 

     In the Jomon Period, the Omiya Plateau used to be a peninsula which stuck out into the sea.  The Old Watarase River ran along the eastern side of the peninsula, and the Old Tone River ran along the western side of the peninsula.  In the meanwhile, the ongoing process of the Kanto Plain's tectonic extension continued and the plain's central region gradually sank.  Finally, the Old Tone River broke the peninsula around today's Kazo City to the east.  The rivers and their alluvium made the peninsula a triangle plateau in the Kanto Plain.  In ancient times, Adachi County was organized under Musashi Province around the plateau.

     Kamiyatsu Village, namely Upper Valley Village, was developed at the north-east edge of the Omiya Plateau.  In the Edo Period, the wetland at the foot of the plateau was developed, and Shimo-Kamiyatsu Village, namely Lower Upper Valley Village, became independent at the turn of the 18th century.  The villagers gathered Buddhist halls and founded Kannon-ji Temple as theri aggregate.  As a result, its main hall enshrines Avalokitesvara, more specifically Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six, and yet it has another hall for Avalokitesvara.

Address: 295 Kamiya, Konosu, Saitama 365-0027