Who Kannon is
Kannon is the Japanese name of Avalokiteshvara, one of the best-known bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism. A bodhisattva is a being who seeks awakening for the benefit of all, and Avalokiteshvara is the one most associated with compassion. The Sanskrit name is usually explained as meaning something like “the lord who looks down”, and the Chinese and Japanese names, Guanyin and Kannon (or the longer Kanzeon), are commonly translated as “the one who perceives the sounds of the world”, that is, the cries of those who suffer.
Kannon is among the bodhisattva images seen most often at East Asian temples. Devotion to this figure spread across the Buddhist world, taking different forms in different cultures. In Tibet the bodhisattva is Chenrezig, and the Dalai Lamas are traditionally regarded as emanations of the same compassion. In China Guanyin is often depicted in a female form; in Japan Kannon appears in forms that may look male, female or neither, and many Japanese Buddhists regard the question of gender as secondary to the quality of compassion. This article uses “her” in line with common devotional usage at Kiyomizu-dera, while noting that traditions differ.
Sources of devotion
Kannon’s role is described in the Mahayana sutras, in particular a chapter of the Lotus Sutra commonly called the Universal Gate chapter, which says that those in danger who call on the bodhisattva will be heard. The same bodhisattva also appears in the Heart Sutra. These texts, together with centuries of popular stories, shaped Kannon devotion as a devotion based on trust: ordinary people turn to Kannon in times of illness, anxiety or loss.
It is also traditional to speak of thirty-three forms of Kannon, a number linked to the Lotus Sutra chapter. This lies behind the Saigoku circuit of thirty-three temples in western Japan, of which Kiyomizu-dera is the sixteenth. Other forms include the eleven-headed Kannon and the thousand-armed Kannon, whose many heads and arms are usually explained as expressing the ability to see and to help in every direction. The two are often combined in a single image, as they are at Kiyomizu-dera.
The main image and the hidden Buddha
According to the temple’s tradition, the principal image at Kiyomizu-dera is an eleven-headed, thousand-armed Kannon. It is a hibutsu, a “hidden Buddha”, normally kept out of sight and shown only on rare occasions announced by the temple. Visitors to the main hall generally do not see the principal image itself. Being unseen is part of the image’s sacredness for believers, and these special openings (known as kaicho) are an important event in the temple’s life, which also brings large crowds. The timing and form of any opening should be confirmed with the temple; this article gives no dates.
The idea of the hidden image appears elsewhere in Japanese Buddhism, and it can be mysterious to outsiders. It is best understood as a form of reverence rather than a secret: respect is shown by limiting exposure, not by hiding anything from worshippers.
How devotion shapes visits to the temple
At Kiyomizu-dera, devotion to Kannon is visible in the ordinary rhythm of the site, in general terms:
- Worshippers pray in the main hall, often offering incense, candles or a coin, and often chanting or reciting a short invocation. Customs vary and visitors should watch what others do or follow signs.
- Prayers are commonly for health, safe childbirth, family wellbeing and success, in line with Kannon’s role as a helper in everyday difficulties.
- Some visitors buy amulets and votive plaques. This is popular practice and not an obligation.
- On the grounds there are subsidiary halls with their own images. One of them, Zuigu-do, offers a walk through a darkened passage that is traditionally understood as a symbolic return to the womb, a practice known as tainai meguri. Admission arrangements change, so confirm them locally.
- The Saigoku pilgrimage gives some visitors a deeper reason for coming, and pilgrims may carry a stamp book. The Saigoku Kannon route is a long-established circuit, and Kiyomizu-dera is only one stop on it.
The Otowa waterfall is often understood in connection with this devotion, but as popular practice rather than formal doctrine.
Devotion and the wider Mahayana picture
For Mahayana Buddhists, Kannon expresses the ideal of compassion that stays in the world to help others. Pure Land traditions, where Pure Land devotion looks to Amida Buddha, treat Kannon as one of Amida’s two chief attendants. Elsewhere, Kannon stands alone as a focus of prayer. Practice differs between schools, temples and families, and the Hosso school traditionally linked to Kiyomizu-dera had its own distinct approach to doctrine.
Visiting with respect
Visitors do not need to share these beliefs, but they are asked to respect them. Dress modestly, keep quiet in the main hall, do not point your feet at images, and follow guidance about photography. If you wish to offer a prayer, a simple bow and quiet moment is enough. Details of what is allowed at which time can be checked on the temple’s official channels.