35 Juichimen Kannon

This eleven-faced Kannon by Rakuzan Takahashi depicts a transformed Buddha form of the Amitabha Tathagata on the front of the head. The nameplate at the back reads “Saigoku Niban.” The “Saigoku Second Pilgrimage Site,” which it refers to, is the Kimiisan Kongohoji Temple in Wakayama City, also known as Kimiidera Temple. The eleven-faced Kannon statue there is a wonderful golden figure 11 meters high. By contrast, the eleven-faced Kannon statue in the cave differs from the one at Kimiidera Temple in that it stands on a rock with a vase of lotus flowers in its left hand and a large scepter in its right hand. This one is referred to as a “Hasedera-style eleven-faced Kannon,” which is distinct from the standard eleven-faced Kannon design.

The eleven-faced Kannon has been worshiped since the Nara period (710-794 CE), and is often enshrined as a deity conferring earthly benefits such as recovery from illness. It is quite popular among the pantheon of Kannons, alongside the Thousand-Armed Kannon, and was actively worshiped in China in its heyday, with many figures being created in Japan.

Tokuzo Yamada, founder of the Doukutsu Kannon facility, had a deep knowledge of design in his capacity as a dry-goods merchant, so he actively took part in the design of the stone statues crafted by Rakuzan Takahashi. The balance of the statue as a whole and the graceful form of its robe remain relevant to the refined sensibilities of today, and even the rock cave in which the Kannon reposes is a grand embodiment of Tokuzo Yamada’s aesthetic. The stunning space as a whole is a masterpiece of modern Buddhist art.