Kanzeon-ji

Kyūshū


In the woods, nestled among rice paddies and reachable by bus (¥100) or about a 20-minute walk from Dazaifu Station, this rustic temple dates from 746, but only the great bell (said to be Japan's oldest) remains of the original construction. Its Exhibition Hall has an impressive collection of statuary, most of it wooden, dating from the 10th to 12th centuries. Many of the items show Indian or Tibetan influence. It's adjacent to Kaidan-in monastery.


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