Imakumano Kannon-ji

Buddhist temple from around 900 in Kyoto and 15th stop on the Saigoku Pilgrimage — with a rarely displayed Kannon statue and tranquil forest setting.

Imakumano Kannon-ji is a Buddhist temple in the Higashiyama-ku district of Kyoto, belonging to the Shingon-shū Sennyūji-ha sect. Founded around 900, it is the 15th stop on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage — one of Japan's oldest and most significant pilgrimage routes, comprising 33 temples. The principal object of worship is a hibutsu statue of the Eleven-faced Kannon, rarely shown to the public. The temple grounds sit near the forest and retain a quiet, less-touristed feel compared to the more famous neighbouring temples.