Wooden Seated Nyoirin Kannon Bodhisattva (City Designated Important Tangible Cultural Property)

Kannon Bodhisattva (Kannon Bosatsu) is actually Kanzeon Bodhisattva or Kanjizai Bodhisattva, and is a bodhisattva who will save all living beings when he hears their cry for salvation. Unlike the Tathagata, who attains enlightenment and preaches the law, the Bodhisattva bestows worldly benefits on all living beings while practicing his own enlightenment, and so may be a more familiar presence to the general public. The Nyoirin Kannon Bodhisattva, who holds the Nyoihoju (wish-granting jewel) to bestow treasures on all living beings and turns the wheel to free them from delusion, usually has six arms, like the wooden Nyoirin Kannon Bodhisattva half-seated statue at Enmyoji Temple. However, this wooden Nyoirin Kannon Bodhisattva seated statue was enshrined at Anrakuji Temple, about 2km from the hypocenter, at the time of the atomic bombing, and the hands and knees were damaged in the damage. Though it is small in stature, its gentle smiling face gives us peace of mind and also seems to appeal to the importance of peace. This statue is said to have been the principal image of Anrakuji Temple when it was called Hodaiji Temple (Tendai sect) before it converted to Jodo Shinshu, and was commonly known as Koyasu Kannon. It is thought to have been made in the mid-Muromachi period and is the oldest of the Nyoirin Kannon Bodhisattvas remaining in the city. Location: 1-5-29 Ushida Honmachi, Higashi-ku, Hiroshima City Date designated as Anrakuji Temple: November 26, 1987 Summary: Inlay wood construction, statue height 31cm, knee width 23cm