Sanjusangen-do Temple

"The longest wooden building in the world at a length of 118 meters, Sanjusangen-do Temple houses what must be one of the most impressive assemblies of statues in the world as well. The main image is of a seated Kannon bodhisattva, a masterpiece attributed to the sculptor Tankei, and one that is deemed a national treasure in Japan. Kannon is the bodhisattva of compassion, and the statue's peaceful, benevolent countenance conveys this state clearly and movingly.

The effect is multiplied by the thousand standing statues of Kannon which fill the rest of the hall: like soldiers of compassion they stand, flanking the main image in fifty columns, each ten rows deep. Graceful statues carved out of cypress and covered with gold leaf, each has over twenty pairs of arms and is held to be responsible for saving many worlds. One hundred and twenty-four of these statues were themselves saved from the fire which claimed the original temple in 1249, and date from the temple's founding in 1164; the rest date from the 13th Century.

There are also 28 statues of guardian deities with intense expressions and impressive detail. Overall, Sanjusangen-do Temple is a place for one to marvel at the beauty of the Japanese Buddhist sculpture, and to let oneself surrender to the compassionate gaze of all those pairs of eyes." (Kyoto Travel Guide Website)

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Helpful Links:
Sanjusangen-do Temple (Japanese Lifestyle Website)
Wikipedia - Sanjusangen-do Temple

Sanjusangen-do Book (PDF)