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Sanjusangendo

At 120 metres in length, the Sanjusangendo is Japan’s longest wooden building. Its name, which means “The Hall with Thirty Three Bays”, is derived from its unusual architectural design. In Buddhist doctrine, the number thirty three is particularly auspicious as it was believed that Buddha was able to save mankind by assuming thirty three different forms. The official name for the temple is Rengeo-in, which means “The Hall of the Lotus King”. The original temple complex was constructed in 1164 by order of the Emperor Go-Shirakawa. However, the entire precinct was destroyed by fire in 1249 – and it wasn’t until seventeen years later that the main hall was re-built. Since that time, the temple has undergone four renovations.

The temple’s principal divinity is the thousand-armed and eleven-faced Kannon – the Buddhist goddess of Mercy. It is her statue that sits serenely in the middle of the main hall. Her benevolent face clearly conveys those virtues that account for her popularity – mercy and compassion. Designated as a “National Treasure”, this remarkable image was carved in 1254 by Tankei, a master-sculptor of the Kamakura Period. Lined up on either side of the halls’s main icon is a stunning collection of one thousand life-size statues of Kannon. Each of these statue has its own unique facial features. In fact, many Japanese visitors specifically come to the temple to try to find a face that resembles a loved one. By themselves, each individual statue is a remarkable work of art – yet, as a group the effect is simply quite stunning.

Date of Construction: Built during the reign of Emperor Go-Shirakawa in 1164; destroyed by fire in 1249 and re-built in 1266.

Highlights: Central figure of Kannon, carved by the master-sculptor Tankei in 1254; the thousand Kannon statues; rare statues of the temple-guardians, Fujin and Raijin; statues of the Ninju-hachi-bushu