Hase Kannon Temple

This is the Hasedera or Hase Kannon Temple. It's a very lush with ponds and gardens all around and a great view of the ocean. The temple was originally built in the 8th century. According to legend two statues of the goddess Kannon (Buddhist deity of compassion) were carved out of the same holy log. The smaller of the two statues was taken to a temple in Yamato while the larger one was thrown into the ocean. When the statue washed up onshore 15 years later it was seen as a good omen so the temple was built to house it. In 1342 it was covered in gold leaf. The statue has 11 heads each representing different facets, is 30 feet tall and is the largest wooden statue in Japan. Unfortunatly taking pictures of it isn't allowed becasue it's an impressive sight.