Japan Travel: Osu Kannon Temple 400 years old national treasures, Nagoya
[006] aichi Osu Kannon Temple
Osu Kannon is a popular Buddhist temple in central Nagoya. It was originally built during the Kamakura Period (1192-1333) in neighboring Gifu Prefecture. The temple was then moved to its current site by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1612 after repeated damage from severe flooding frequently took place. The current buildings are those reconstructed in 20th century.
The main object of worship at the temple is a wooden Kannon statue, the goddess of mercy. It was carved by Kobo Daishi, one of most important figures in Japanese Buddhism. There is a Shinpukuji Library underneath Osu Kannon’s main hall, where over 15,000 classic Japanese and Chinese texts are housed. Among these texts, there are several national treasures and important cultural properties, such as the oldest copy of the Kojiki, a chronicle of the early history of Japan including its mythological origins.
A flea market took place monthly on the temple grounds on the 18th and 28th. The modestly sized market includes about 60 stalls that sells everything such as antiques, souvenirs, second hand goods and clothes. Just beside the temple, there is an entrance to the Osu Shopping Arcade, a network of aging but charming covered shopping streets with over 400 shops and restaurants. The area is recognized as a counterpart to Tokyo’s Akihabara district as in both areas, there are a lot of stores that specialize in electronics, cosplay, anime, J-pop and idol goods.
Access information
Osu Kannon Temple is only a few steps from Osu Kannon Station on the Tsurumai Subway Line. Take the Higashiyama Subway Line at Nagoya Station and transfer to the Tsurumai Line at Fushimi Station. It takes about ten minutes from Nagoya Station to the temple and costs 200 yen for one way.
Alternatively, the temple is a 5-10 minute walk from Kamimaezu Station on the Tsurumai and Meijo Subway Lines, through the shopping arcade next to the temple.
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