Sanjūsangen-dō (三十三間堂, thirty-three ken hall) is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, Japan.

Measuring 120 meters, the temple hall is Japan’s longest wooden structure. The name Sanjusangendo (literally “33 intervals”) derives from the number of intervals between the building’s support columns, a traditional method of measuring the size of a building.

In the center of the main hall sits a large, wooden statue of a 1000-armed Kannon (Senju Kannon) that is flanked on each side by 500 statues of human sized 1000-armed Kannon standing in ten rows. Together they make for an awesome sight.

There are also 28 statues of guardian deities with intense expressions and impressive detail. Overall, Sanjusangen-do Temple is a place for one to marvel at the beauty of Japanese Buddhist sculpture and surrender to the compassionate gaze of all those pairs of eyes.

Source: Kyoto City Offical Travel Guide

Media: Youtube