A Bodhisattva Inspired Kannon Temple
The township of Naguri is more than just a launching pad for local trekking adventures and includes the impressive Hakuunsan Torii Kannon 白雲山 鳥居観音 which makes a formidable statement on the surrounding landscape. This Bodhisattva inspired Kannon temple is seated on 30 hectares of mountainside just off Highway 53 and can be reached by bus from Hanno Station 飯能駅. The most striking of the several structures found on the temple grounds is the brilliantly white 33 metre high Guze Dai-Kannon. This Kannon along with most of the other temple buildings and statues were built starting in the 1940s by Yataro Hiranuma who spent the better part of 30 years toiling together this remarkable collection. The round trip to the main temple and returning via the access road takes around 90 minutes. On the day we visited, the main entrance was unattended which meant we had the chance to roam freely through the vast grounds in relative serenity.
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