NAKAYAMADERA

Nakayamadera was founded in the life of the century by Prince Shōtoku. This temple is known as a place of prayer for easy delivery and healthy baby. It is reported that Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's three great unifiers, was blessed by the birth of his son Toyotomi Hideyori after visiting this temple. In the middle of the nineteenth century, Nakayama Yoshiko also came there before giving birth to the baby who later became Emperor Meiji. The temple is thus authorized to use chrysanthemthemthemthemthemthemthemthemthemthemthemthemthemthemthemthema, a symbol of the imperial family.
The main divinity of the temple is Jyūichimen Kannon, bodhisatta of compassion. It is represented in the form of three statues, each with eleven heads. The total of 33 heads would symbolize the 33 temples of the Saikoku Kannon pilgrimage (Nakayamadera is the 24 th ^{temple of the pilgrimage). These statues are visible to the public only on the 18 th of each month. Near the main temple, the Gohyaku-rakandō exhibits nearly 700 statues of rankan (the disciples of Buddha). It is said that by observing these faces of stone well, you will inevitably find a resemblance to your ancestors. Nearby, we can enter the Hakuchōzuka tumulus, where a stone coffin is found. It is said that there is the Princess Onakatsu, whose lineage died after the death of his two heirs. Prince Shōtoku would have erected the temple in his honor.
On the heights, a 28 m high blue roof pagoda, rebuilt in 2016, would contain Buddha ash from Nepal. Beside the pagoda, a small temple is dedicated to Kōbō Daishi, founder of the Shingon sect. It contains 33 squares from the 33 temples of the Saikoku Kannon pilgrimage. To walk on it would be to do it by saving time and money. Between the end of February and early March, the plums at the top of the temple are in bloom. It is said that this is where spring would appear every year, before dispersing throughout Japan.
On August 9, this is the Hoshikudari Festival. The 33 kannons of the 33 temples of the Saikoku Kannon pilgrimage were then descended from paradise on stars and gathered in Nakayamadera. To be in Nakayamadera that day would be to acquire 126 years of happiness. So much to say there's a crowd. In 2017, the temple recorded more than 1 million people on the day.}