Daifuku-ji Temple (Gake Kannon)

Overview

Daifuku-ji Temple is a Shingon sect temple located in Funagata, Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture. Its mountain name is Funagata-yama, and its temple name is Fumon-in. The temple grounds feature a suspended Kannon hall, housing a carved eleven-headed Kannon Bodhisattva, a magyabutsu (rock-carved Buddha), which has led to its affectionate nickname, "Cliff Kannon." Legend says that in 717 (Yōrō 1), Gyōki carved a Kannon statue to pray for the safety and bountiful catches of local fishermen. Later, Ennin (Jikaku Daishi), a Tendai sect monk, is said to have built the Kannon hall and established the temple. While the reason for its current affiliation with the Shingon sect is unknown, it received a shuinjo (official document granting tax exemption) from the Edo shogunate during the Edo period. The temple has been repeatedly rebuilt after suffering damage from fires, heavy rains, and the Great Kantō Earthquake (1923). Extensive renovations, including seismic reinforcement, roof replacement, and repainting in vermillion, were carried out from 2015, with the temple reopening to visitors in July 2016. The view from the Kannon hall offers a panoramic vista of Tateyama Bay; on a clear day, you can even see Izu Ōshima Island, making it a popular tourist destination. Daifuku-ji Temple houses treasures such as the rock-carved standing eleven-headed Kannon statue (designated as a tangible cultural property of Tateyama City). It also serves as a temple site on the Anbōkoku 34 Kannon pilgrimage route. Daifuku-ji Temple is a tranquil and peaceful place where history and nature harmonize, offering visitors a sense of calm and serenity.