“She’s a real softie” Buddhist lore says about Kannon. I am standing before the Ryozen Kannon Statue. It is more than just a statue. The Ryozen Kannon Statue is a testament to peace and remembrance in Kyoto’s Gion district.
The Ryozen Kannon Temple was established in 1955. It serves as a solemn memorial to those who lost their lives during the Pacific War. The towering 24-meter concrete statue of Kannon is the Goddess of Mercy. She overlooks the grounds. Ryozen Kannon offers visitors a profound space for reflection and contemplation.
Hirosuke Ishikawa founded the Ryozen Kannon Temple. This happened ten years after the end of World War II. Memories of the conflict were still fresh. The temple was conceived as a Buddhist alternative to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.
Ryozen Kannon honors all victims of the Pacific War. This includes all nationalities. The site contains memorials for Japanese soldiers and civilians. It also includes memorials for Allied prisoners of war. They perished under Japanese control.
The Ryozen Kannon Statue is visible from many parts of eastern Kyoto. It was designed to be a symbol of peace and compassion. The statue’s design is based on a 13th-century painting of Kannon. It was the last work of sculptor Yamazaki Choun.
Visitors can enter the body of the statue. They can see an enshrined Eleven-headed image of Kannon. The interior of the statue also houses shrines. These shrines are dedicated to the different signs of the zodiac.
The Ryozen Kannon Temple includes a register. It contains the names of two million Japanese war dead. The Reihaiden Hall contains 600000 small Buddhist tablets. They are for Japanese and others who died in the Asia-Pacific War. The temple also features a monument to the unknown soldier.
The temple also has vessels of soil. These vessels are from war cemeteries around the world. Cabinets contain records of tens of thousands of Allied POWs. They died in Japanese captivity. An altar contains soil from every Allied cemetery from the Pacific theater of World War II.
Visitors are given a stick of incense upon entry. They can light it and place it in a pot near the reflecting pool. This act pays respect to the deceased. It also purifies the surroundings. Visitors can enter the statue and pray before the enshrined Eleven-headed image of Kannon. This practice brings blessings and compassion.
Inside the Kannon Statue are symbols of guardian angels. They are for each of the twelve zodiac signs. Visitors offer prayers before their birth year’s guardian angel. The temple features a golden ball called the Wishing Precious Stone. Visitors place their right hand on the ball. They walk around it three times. Then, they write their wish on a paper disc to hang with others.
The temple conducts memorial services four times a day. These services are performed by monks. The monks come from various Buddhist sects. The temple offers rituals for the spirits of unborn children. This provides a space for parents to mourn and pray for these souls.
Ryozen Kannon is a place of remembrance and reflection. Approach your visit with respect. Appreciate its significance. It is not just a tourist site. It is a site of transnational memory. It bridges divides between former enemies. It offers a space for shared mourning and reconciliation. It embodies compassion.