DISCOVER FUKUI

The principal image is the Thousand-Armed Kannon. It is a secret Buddha statue said to have been created by the great Nara period monk, Master Taichō. It is unveiled only once every 33 years; the most recent unveiling was in 1998. This temple enshrines many different Buddhas, so I want to take my time viewing them. For example, the Buddha in Nirvana is enshrined immediately to the left upon entering the main hall. Behind it, the wall depicts the disciples lamenting and grieving, portraying the scene of Shakyamuni Buddha's passing. The rubbing Buddha, affectionately called "O-Binzuru-san," sits smiling broadly at the main hall entrance. It is said that rubbing the same part of the statue as your own ailing body part will bring healing. The temple is the eighth station of the Hokuriku Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage.