Saidaiji Temple Statue of Eleven-Headed Kannon 西大寺十一面観音立像
Official explanation
Saidaiji Temple
Statue of Eleven-Headed Kannon
Read the full explanation
Important Cultural Property
This statue represents Kannon, also known as the bodhisattva of mercy. Kannon is believed to protect people from illness and help them secure food and wealth. The eleven heads set atop the statue’s main head have a range of expressions, but the largest radiates compassion and tranquility. There are several interpretations of why there are eleven heads, including the belief that the lower ten represent the stages on the path to enlightenment, while the uppermost represents buddhahood.
This Kannon statue was modeled after the Kannon of Hasedera Temple in Nara Prefecture. It was commissioned by the Retired Emperor Gotoba (1180–1239) and made in 1145 in the latter part of the Heian period (794–1185), and in 1289 it was brought to Saidaiji from Kyoto on the order of Emperor Kameyama (1249–1305). It has been housed in the Shio-Do since 1674.
出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.
旅Nara tours
Live prices and reviews from GetYourGuide. Many tours can be cancelled for free — check each listing.
Ad: we may earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Treasure hunts nearby
Getting there
Hotels in Nara
Ad: we may earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you.
More temples in Nara
Open the scanner and compare →