Iwamadera Temple 岩間寺

Iwamadera’s main object of worship is a 15-centimeter-tall gilt-bronze statue of Kannon that was worshiped by Empress Gensho. The statue used to be housed within a wooden sculpture of Kannon that was reputedly carved by Taicho from a local katsura tree, but which has been lost. The gilt-bronze statue is kept in the main hall (hondo), which was reconstructed in 1577. Though the building is open to visitors, the statue is not on public display. A larger statue of Kannon is displayed inside the hall instead.

It is said that each night Kannon flies out of the hall and down into the underworld to rescue souls. The bodhisattva returns each morning, drenched in sweat from the effort, and is thus also known as Asekaki (sweating) Kannon.

Apart from saving souls, the Kannon at Iwamadera is also believed to help in forestalling dementia. In a larger hall in front of the main hall, a special ritual is performed to pray for Kannon’s help in warding off the effects of aging. Participants stand facing a statue of Kannon and put a large earthenware plate on their heads, which is believed to aid clarity of thought. Opposite this hall is the Daishido, a hall containing sculptures of Taicho and Kukai (774–835), the priest who founded the Shingon school.

Beside the main hall is a small garden with a pond where carp swim about. The pond is said to be the inspiration for one of poet Matsuo Basho’s (1644–1694) most famous haiku: “an ancient pond / a frog jumps in / the splash of water.” Basho was a frequent visitor to the temples of Otsu and is believed to have composed the poem after a stay at Iwamadera. The poem is engraved on a plaque on a large stone in the garden.

Iwamadera Temple was founded in 722 by the Buddhist priest Taicho (682–767). According to legend, he heard the mantra of Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, coming from the mountain’s abundant katsura trees (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) and knew the spot must be sacred to Kannon. A shrine at the back of the temple grounds enshrines the deity of a giant katsura tree believed to be more than 500 years old.

Iwamadera is dedicated to Kannon and the temple’s main object of worship is a 15-centimeter-tall gilt-bronze statue of the deity. The statue used to be housed within a wooden sculpture of Kannon that was reputedly carved from a katsura tree by Taicho himself. The wooden statue has been lost, and the gilt-bronze statue is kept in the main hall (hondo), which was reconstructed in 1577. The ancient figure is not on public display, but a larger statue of Kannon can be viewed instead. At Iwamadera, Kannon is also believed to prevent the debilitating effects of advanced age, and the temple holds special rituals to aid mental acuity.

The garden beside the main hall is said to be the inspiration for a famous haiku by the poet Matsuo Basho (1644–1694), who composed it after a visit to Iwamadera.