Sanjusangendo
Sanjūsangendō (lit. thirty-three ken (length) hall) is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama District of Kyoto, Japan. The temple was founded in 1164 and rebuilt a century later after the original structure had been destroyed in a fire. The temple is famous for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Mercy and Compassion. The temple name literally means Hall with thirty three spaces between columns, describing the architecture of the long main hall of the temple. From the Edo period, archery exhibition contests called Tōshiya are held on the west veranda of this temple. The Sanjusangendo hall with its 1001 images of Kannon is a magnificent sight indeed. If you are in Kyoto then do not miss out on this historical tourist attraction.
h-s-love@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp
