About This Video
Chokokuji Temple was founded in 807 by Kobo Daishi (Kukai) on the picturesque island of Sado in Niigata prefecture. Chokokuji features a unique design imitating the famous Hasedera Temple in Yamato prefecture. It goes to the extent to even use Hasedera Temple Kanji : 長谷寺. Chokokuji Temple is also famous for its historic background. Zeami paid a visit after landing on Sado Island, and he mentioned the temple in his book Kintosho (Writings of the Golden Isle). The temple is known for its flowers, including peony but also for its many cultural assets which shadow a living history. Varying from the three eleven-headed Kannon statues (National Important Cultural Properties), to statues of Kongo Rikishi (two wrath-filled guardians of the Buddha) made in the Heian Period (10th-12th centuries).
