Kofukuji Temple and Rokkakudo

Kofukuji Temple on Mt. Odake is dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion. Local residents have affectionately nicknamed the temple the Kannon of Odake.

The temple’s origins are unclear because records were destroyed by multiple fires over the centuries. According to one account, it was established in 807 by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who held the rank of shogun. After defeating a local chieftain named Otakemaru, he is said to have divided the chieftain’s remains and buried them in seven locations, each marked by a Kannon Hall. One of these is located at Kofukuji.

The principal object of worship at the temple is a hidden statue of the bodhisattva Eleven-Headed Kannon. It is housed in the Kannon Hall, which was built in 1888, and is revealed to the public only once every 33 years. The wooden outer walls of the hall are decorated with colorful scenes from the Chinese tale The Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars, a classic Confucian text emphasizing love and respect for one’s elders. The 12 Chinese zodiac animals are carved into the transoms above.

A short walk from the main temple complex brings visitors to the Rokkakudo, a striking hexagonal structure with a blue roof, built in 1884. Though a Buddhist hall, the Rokkakudo incorporates Western architectural elements in an unusual fusion of styles.