Hase-dera

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About Hase-dera

Hase-dera is a Buddhist temple on the hillside of the Hase neighborhood, a few minutes from the Great Buddha. Tradition places its founding in the 8th century. The temple is dedicated to Kannon, the deity of mercy, and houses one of the largest wooden statues in Japan: an eleven-faced, gilded Kannon about 9 meters tall, in a dim hall high on the grounds.

The temple climbs the slope in several levels. At the lower part, a garden with ponds, carp and bridges welcomes visitors. In the middle, hundreds of small Jizo statues, the deity who protects children, were placed by parents in memory of lost children. At the top are the Kannon hall, the temple museum and a terrace with views over Yuigahama Bay and the city.

In the Benten cave, carved into the rock, there are statues of the goddess Benzaiten and other deities lit by candles; in some sections you must stoop to pass. Beside it, the sutra hall has a rotating shelf of Buddhist texts.

In June, the hillside path lined with thousands of hydrangeas attracts crowds, and the temple may issue timed tickets to control entry. In spring and autumn, the garden has cherry trees and maples, and on some evenings there is special illumination.