33 Kannon Statues at Snowy Taichoji

Cute Kannon statues buried in snow!

Takako Sakamoto Jan 12, 2015 - 1분 읽은 시간

<p>No. 3 of thirty-three Kannon Statues in the grounds of Taichoji Temple</p>

<p>The narrow pathway to visit all thirty-three Kannon statues was gone...buried in snow!</p>

<p>Stone torii gate leading to the pilgrimage pathway to the Thirty-Three Kannon Statues, with a snow-capped stone lantern in the foreground</p>

<p>Looking up at the stone torii gate from inside</p>

<p>Small Kannon statue looking happy even though half-buried in snow!</p>

<p>Close-up look at the happy-faced Kannon statue</p>

<p>Looking at Kannon statues beside the invisible pathway in the snow-buried woods</p>

<p>No. 4 Kannon statue, and fallen leaves on snow</p>

<p>Water droplets on the sacred straw hanging from the stone torii gate</p>

<p>No. 32 Kannon statue at the foot of a tree buried in snow</p>

<p>Close-up look at the serene face of No. 32 Kannon statue</p>

In early October last year, I visited Taichoji Temple and made a pilgrimage to all thirty-three Kannon Statues there. On January 3rd this year it snowed heavily, so I revisited the temple to see how these statues were doing in snow. They were there, looking happy, despite the cold snow half covering them. Usually, you can follow a narrow pathway to visit all of them, but it was completely buried in snow. Although I wanted to see them all again, I also didn't want to cause a newspaper headline like, "Photography lover found frozen to death in snow at Taichoji", so I refrained from venturing further into the woods. Still, I could see some of their happy faces from afar using a zoom lens!

Taichoji Temple in Snow

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...