Osu Kannon Temple, Nagoya

Ōsu Kannon is one of Nagoya’s most prominent Buddhist temples and forms part of the Owari Thirty-three Kannon pilgrimage circuit. Its origins date to around 1333, when it was founded in Ōsu-gō in Nagaoka village. According to tradition, the temple was established under the patronage of Emperor Go-Daigo, who appointed the monk Nōshin as its first head priest.

Nōshin is said to have experienced a vision of Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, inspiring the temple’s dedication. Its principal object of worship is a sacred image of Kannon traditionally believed to have been carved by the monk Kūkai, also known as Kōbō Daishi.

Because the original site was vulnerable to repeated flooding, Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the temple to be relocated to its present location in Nagoya in 1612. Much of the complex was later destroyed by fire in the 1820s. The present main hall was reconstructed in the 20th century, preserving the temple’s traditional architectural character.

Inside the main hall, visitors can see a large red paper lantern suspended above the entrance area. Worshipers often attach small paper notes bearing prayers or wishes to the supporting wires, following a custom associated with good fortune and answered prayers.

Ōsu Kannon is also known for its valuable library, which contains approximately 15,000 classical Japanese and Chinese texts. Its most celebrated treasure is the oldest surviving handwritten copy of the Kojiki, Japan’s earliest written chronicle of mythology and history. The manuscript is designated a National Treasure.