Hagaji [羽賀寺]
Main temple of Hagaji
Photo by Fukui Prefectual Tourism Federation
Hagaji is a Buddhist temple of Koyasan Shingon-shu which is a sect of Shingon Buddhism and is one of major Japanese Buddhism.
It is located about 3.5 km north-northeast of Obama station.
(The distance of the road to the temple is about 5 km.)
The temple is at the foot of a hill.
It is said that priest Gyoki founded this temple by an order of Empress Gensho in 716.
The temple was sometimes destroyed by fire or flood, but it had been rebuilt each time.
Now, only the main temple remains, and it was rebuilt in 1447.
It was overhauled in 1966.
Some Buddha statues are enshrined in the main temple.
Juuichi-men Kannon Bosatsu in Hagaji
Photo by Fukui Prefectual Tourism Federation
Enshrined Juuichi-men Kannon Bosatsu
Photo by Fukui Prefectual Tourism Federation
The central statue is Juuichi-men Kannon Bosatsu (十一面観音菩薩).
It was created in the early 10th century.
It was carved from a single piece of Japanese cypress wood, and the height is about 1.5 meters.
It is said that the face of the statue is the image of Empress Gensho.
The statues including it are designated as important national cultural properties.
How to get here
Run for 5 km by rental bicycle or car from Obama station.
