Kimii-dera

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Kimii-dera (Japanese: 紀三井寺) is a Buddhist Temple in the town of Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture in Japan. Its official name is Kimiisan Gōhōji Gokokuin (jap. 紀三井山金剛宝寺護国院). The main statue of the temple is Kannon with 11 heads and is shown every 50 years. Kimii-dera is the spiritual centre of the Guze-Kannon faith and the second temple of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage (西国三十三箇所, Saigoku sanjūsankasho).

Overview

The name stems from the three springs on the temple grounds. According to temple lore, it is said that Kimii-dera was founded in the year 770 by the Chinese monk Iko.

A number of temple buildings are registered as Important Cultural Property (Japan). The entrance portal Sakura-mon (constructed in 1509), the pagoda built in 1449 (Tō) and the bell tower from 1588. The main hall dates back to the year 1759. The temple is known for the many cherry trees on the temple grounds, that are the first to blossom in the region of Kansai.

Literature

• Patricia Frame Rugola: The Saikoku Kannon Pilgrimage Route. Dissertation, Ohio State University, 1986.
• S. Noma (Hrsg.): Kimiidera. In: Japan. An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha, 1993. ISBN 4-06-205938-X, S. 780.

External links

• Official Website - Japanese

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