Kannami-ji Temple is a Buddhist temple belonging to the Myoshin-ji branch of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. Located beside Lake Ijira in Yamagata City, Gifu Prefecture, it is renowned for its magnificent cherry tree, which is more than 350 years old. The tree has a trunk circumference of approximately 3.2 meters and stands about 20 meters tall. It has been designated a Natural Monument of Gifu Prefecture.
The temple’s impressive main hall features a distinctive eight-ridged roof structure and enshrines Senju Kannon, the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva of Compassion. The temple has also attracted longstanding devotion as a sacred place dedicated to Batō Kannon, the Horse-Headed Kannon. People involved in public horse racing are said to visit the temple to pray for blessings.
According to local tradition, the temple originated during the Kennin era (1201–1204) of the Kamakura period. A married couple named Kōami and Nachiami received an image of Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, in Ise Province and enshrined it at the summit of Mount Kamagayasan, where the temple is said to have first been established.
Later, during the Tenbun era (1532–1555), a fisherman from Ise Province was reportedly guided by a mysterious light shining from Mino Province. Following the light, he transferred the Kannon image to Nagataki, the temple’s present location.
Around 1571, during the Genki era, the temple was formally established under the name Hakkasan Kannami-ji.
The temple’s main hall is an imposing building with an eight-ridged roof, a distinctive architectural style associated with traditional Japanese temple construction. Although the temple was established during the Sengoku period, the present main hall was built during the Kanbun era (1661–1673).
The principal image is the Thousand-Armed Kannon, and the temple is also known for its association with Batō Kannon. Its reputation as a place of worship for those connected with public horse racing continues to draw visitors.
One of Kannami-ji’s greatest attractions is its magnificent Edohigan cherry tree, which grows on the temple grounds beside Lake Ijira. More than 350 years old, the tree measures approximately 3.3 meters in trunk circumference and reaches about 23 meters in height. It has been designated a Natural Monument of Gifu Prefecture.
In spring, its abundant blossoms transform the lakeside setting into a beautiful seasonal spectacle, attracting visitors who come to admire the tree’s age, scale, and delicate flowers.
The name Kannami is believed to derive from the Japanese terms kannabi or kannami, words associated with sacred places where deities dwell. The temple’s inner sanctuary is also known as Kannabi Shrine.
A local legend tells of Hisako, the wife of the famous military commander Kusunoki Masashige. After her clan was wiped out, she is said to have traveled throughout Japan visiting sacred mountains and places known as kannabi. She eventually fell in love with the Ijira area and secluded herself at Kannabi Shrine.
The temple’s principal image is an eleven-faced, thousand-armed Kannon, traditionally attributed to the Buddhist monk Gyōki. The statue is approximately 1.8 meters tall.
The statues of Fudō Myōō, the Immovable Wisdom King, and Bishamonten, the Buddhist guardian deity associated with protection and good fortune, which stand on either side of the principal image, are traditionally attributed to Dengyō Daishi, also known as Saichō, the founder of the Tendai school of Buddhism.