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THIS IS A SIDE PAGE
RETURN TO MAIN KANNON PAGE

KANNON PHOTO TOUR
GODDESS OF MERCY, GOD OF COMPASSION
Comes in Many Forms to Help People in Distress in the Earthly Realm

Click any image to see larger photo.
Click any text link to learn more about that form of Kannon.
Most photos scanned from temple brochures and exhibition catalogs.

11 Headed Kannon, Fujiwara Era, Largest Wooded Sitting Statue in Japan, Rakuya-ji Temple
Juichimen Kannon
11-Headed Kannon (Wood)
10th to 12th Century
Rakuya-ji Temple

11 Headed Kannon, Fujiwara Era, Largest Wooded Sitting Statue in Japan, Rakuya-ji Temple
Juichimen Kannon
11-Headed Kannon (Wood)
10th to 12th Century
Rakuya-ji Temple

Juichimen Kannon (11-headed Kannon), 1326 AD, Hase Dera
Juichimen Kannon
11-headed Kannon
1326 AD, Hase Dera

Fukukensaku Kannon, 8th to 9th Century, Kouryu-ji Temple
Fukukensaku Kannon
8th to 9th Century
Kouryu-ji Temple

Sho Kannon, 10th to 11th Century, Tendai-ji Temple
Sho Kannon
10th to 11th Century
Tendai-ji Temple (Chuson-ji)

Yume-Chigai Kannon, Horyu-ji Temple, 8th Century
Yume-Chigai Kannon
8th Century
Horyu-ji Temple

Senju Kannon, Fudarakusan-ji Temple, Heian Era
Senju Kannon
Heian Era
Fudarakusan-ji Temple

Sho Kannon, Ango-ji Temple, Heian Era
Sho Kannon
Heian Era
Ango-ji Temple

Senju Kannon, Fujii Dera, 752 AD, Emperor Shomu, Nat'l Treasure
Senju Kannon (1000 Arms Kannon)
Fujii Dera, 752 AD

Senju Kannon, 12th Century, Chuson-ji Temple
Senju Kannon
12th Century
Chuson-ji Temple

Senju Kannon, 1154 AD, Bujyo-ji Temple
Senju Kannon
1154 AD
Bujyo-ji Temple

Kuse Kannon, 7th Century, Horyu-ji Temple
Kuse Kannon
7th Century
Horyu-ji Temple


Kuse Kannon
7th Century
Horyu-ji Temple

Senju Kannon, 10th Century, Byoodo-in Temple
Senju Kannon
10th Century
Byodo-in Temple

Senju Kannon, 1012 AD, Kouryu-ji Temple
Senju Kannon
1012 AD
Kouryu-ji Temple

Kudari Kannon, 7th Century, Horyu-ji Temple
Kudari Kannon
7th Century
Horyu-ji Temple

Kudari Kannon, 7th Century, Horyu-ji Temple
Kudari Kannon
7th Century
Horyu-ji Temple

Kannon, 12th Century, Chuson-ji Temple
Sho Kannon
12th Century
Chuson-ji Temple

Juichimen Kannon (11 Headed Kannon), Late Heian Era, Onsen-ji Temple
Juichimen Kannon (11 Headed)
Late Heian Era
Onsen-ji Temple

Juichimen Kannon (11-headed), Late 8th Century, Kaniman-ji Temple
Juichimen Kannon (11-headed)
Late 8th Century
Kaniman-ji Temple

Juichimen Kannon (11-headed), Late Heian Era, Onsen-ji Temple
Senju Kannon
Late Heian Era
Onsen-ji Temple

Juichimen Kannon (11-headed), Edo Era, Hase Dera
Juichimen Kannon (11-headed)
Edo Era
Hase Dera

Senju Kannon, Closeup, 12th Century, Sanjusangendo
Senju Kannon (Closeup), 12th Century
Sanjusangendo (Kyoto)
Photo from temple catalog

Senju Kannon (1000-armed), 12th Century, Sanjusangendo
Senju Kannon (Middle Photo). 12th Century, Sanjusangendo in Kyoto.
Carved by Tankei (Unkei’s son). Photo scanned from temple catalog.

Senju Kannon, 12th Century, Sanjusangendo  Senju Kannon, 12th Century, Sanjusangendo
Senju Kannon, 12th Century, Sanjusangendo in Kyoto. Photo scanned from temple brochure

Fukukensaku Kannon, Kamakura Era, Wood, Photo Courtesy Kyoto National Museum
Fukukensaku Kannon - “Never Empty Lasso”
Lasso in hand to catch straying souls
and lead them to salvation; usually depicted with eight arms.
Sanskrit = Amoghapasa Avalokiteshvara
Kamakura Era, Wood

Mongolian Kannon Frontside
Quan Yin
Ming China (1368 - 1644)
Front of Statue
From Reader Scott Alexander
3-Faced Kannon

Mongolian Kannon Backside
Quan Yin
Ming China (1368 - 1644)
Back of Statue
From Reader Scott Alexander
3-faced Kannon

Kannon, Mongolia, 17th Century
Multi-headed, multi-armed Kannon
Mongolia, 17th Century
Submitted by site visitor

Juichimen Kannon, 6th to 7th Century, Horuyu-ji Temple
Juichimen Kannon
6th/7th Century, Horuyu-ji Temple
Submitted by site visitor

Senju Kannon, 3rd Century 3 Kingdoms, Korea Chonsukwanunposal
Senju Kannon
3rd Century Three Kingdoms Period
From Korea -- Chonsukwanunposal

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This is a Side Page -- Kannon Bosatsu
Click here to return to Main Kannon Page

Nyoirin Kannon at the Nara National Musuem
Nyo-irin Kannon
Courtesy Nara National Museum
(L) Kamakura Period  (R) Heian Period, 10th century
http://www.narahaku.go.jp/meihin/  (Japanese language only)
 A wonderful site with wonderful images of Buddhist art

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Below Text Courtesy of
www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b_fbodi.htm

Among the Bodhisattvas, it is Avalokitesvara who has the largest number of forms and is perhaps the most venerated and most popular Buddhist deity. His sex, originally masculine, is sometimes considered feminine in China and Japan, although this discrimination is unsupported by any canonical text. And was often considered in China and Japan as the 'mother of the human race' and, in this respect, worshipped in the form of a woman.

Avalokitesvara is known from very early in the development of the Mahayana doctrines and, until Buddhism disappeared from India, enjoyed great favour there. His cult passed from India to South-East Asia and Java, where it met with great success, and also in Nepal, Tibet (where he arrived with Buddhism and where King Srong-btsan Sgam-po, 519-650, was considered to be his incarnation), and in China, from where he went on to Korea and Japan. All these countries imagined him in different forms according to their own temperaments and spirituality. 

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Kannon riding atop Shachihoko; Click Image to Jump to Shachihoko Page.
Kannon Bosatsu (Modern)
Unsure what she is riding.
Perhaps the Shachihoko (imaginary creature with the head
of a tiger and the body of a fish), or perhaps a Serpent/Dragon/Naga?
Photo courtesy www.tibetshop.com

Scroll by Baiun, photo courtesy of yoursourceinjapan.com
KANNON RIDING DRAGON SCROLL
By Baiun Sakamoto (1875-?). Baiun’s real name was Hisakichi.
Born in Nara Prefecture, lived in Osaka, apprenticed with Chikugai Himejima.

Modern stone statue of Kannon Bosatsu holding a baby
Modern Stone Statue
Koyasu (Child-Giving) Kannon (or perhaps Juntei Kannon) holding babe
Photo taken at Kamakura shop that sells stone statues, 2003

Juichimen Kannon (11-Headed Kannon) at Zenyo-in (Inatori City)Juichimen Kannon (11-Headed Kannon) at Zenyo-in (Inatori City)Juichimen Kannon (11-Headed Kannon) at Zenyo-in (Inatori City)
Juichimen Kannon (11-Headed Kannon) at Zenyo-in (Inatori City)

Stone carvings including Nyo-irin Kannon, at Zenyo-in in Inatori CityNyo-irin Kannon, at Zenyo-in in InatoriStone carvings including Nyo-irin Kannon, at Zenyo-in in Inatori City
Stone statues surrounding the 11-headed Kannon
Center photo shows the Nyo-irin Kannon
Statues found at Zenyo-in (Inatori City)

1000 arm Kannon - Senju Kannon
Festival artwork of the Senju Kannon (1000-arm Kannon)
Inatori Fertility Festival held in June each year (Dontsuku Festival)

11-Headed Kannon - Drawing

Bizen Figurine of Kannon, Meiji Era, Owned by Robert Yellin   Click for larger photo
L: Ceramic Sho Kannon in collection of Robert Yellin
R: Sho Kannon at Hase Dera Temple, Kamakura, Japan

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For Many More Wonderful Photos, Please Visit:
KANNON -- Shikoku, 88 Holy Sites, Kannon Photo Tour
Japanese Site. Wonderful photos of the Kannon statues found on this circuit. Photos courtesy of the Health Center Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University. NOTE: Of the 88 temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage, 29 are dedicated to Kannon.  In addition, sacred pilgrimage images of the Kannon can be found by visiting this site’s Pilgrimage Guide.

Koyasu Kannon, Temple #71, Shikoku 88
KOYASU KANNON
第71番:弥谷寺
88 Temples of Shikoku, Temple #71
kms.ac.jp/~hsc/henro/FJK/kannon/kannon.htm
See above site for many more photos.

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This is a Side Page -- Kannon Bosatsu
Click here to return to Main Kannon Page

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Copyright 1995 - 2014. Mark Schumacher. Email Mark.
All stories and photos, unless specified otherwise, by Schumacher.
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