Hasedera Temple: Full-Body Viewing of the Main Kannon (Year of the Horse)

What Is the Full-Body Viewing of the Main Kannon at Hasedera?

Hasedera Temple (長谷寺) is holding a special viewing of the full body of its main statue, the Eleven-faced Kannon. It takes place as part of the Year of the Horse grand opening (午歳総開帳, Umadoshi Sokaicho) of the Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, held only once every 12 years. You can see the whole of this huge statue, even its feet, which are normally hidden behind altar fittings.

Dates and Hours

In 2026 the viewing is held in two periods. The second period runs from Wednesday, November 18, after the morning memorial service, to Friday, December 18. The first period (March 18 to April 18) has ended.

On the 18th of each month during the period (November 18 and December 18), a special service is held in the morning together with the monthly Kannon service. The full-body viewing is paused during the service and reopens as usual afterward.

Admission is from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the temple closes at 5:00 p.m. The entrance fee is 400 yen for adults and 200 yen for elementary school students. No separate fee for the full-body viewing has been announced.

Highlights: A 9.18-Meter Eleven-Faced Kannon, Down to the Feet

The main statue of Hasedera, the Eleven-faced Kannon (十一面観世音菩薩), is 9.18 meters tall and one of the largest wooden statues in Japan. It has eleven faces on top of its head, holds a monk’s staff in its right hand and a flower vase in its left, and stands on a rock pedestal. This style is called the Hasedera-style Eleven-faced Kannon. According to temple tradition, it was made in 721. The statue stands in the Kannon Hall.

The main statue of Hasedera is not a hidden Buddha; you can see it at any time of year. What makes this viewing special is not that doors are opened, but that you can see the whole body, including the feet that are normally out of view. A full-body viewing was also held in 2021 and 2022 to mark the 1,300th anniversary of the statue, and according to the temple, that was the first in its recorded history.

Commemorative Sange and Events on December 18

Throughout 2026, the temples of the Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage offer commemorative sange (paper lotus petals) printed with the image of each temple’s main Kannon, and stamp a special “Umadoshi Kechien” seal in pilgrims’ stamp books.

December 18, the last day of the viewing, is also the day of two yearly events: the Kannon Mi-ashi Mairi, in which visitors enter the inner sanctuary of the Kannon Hall and touch the statue’s feet, and the year-end market along the approach. Please check the temple’s announcements for whether the Mi-ashi Mairi will be held in 2026 and how to take part.

Things to Know Before You Go

Photography is not allowed inside the Kannon Hall, and there is a no-photography sign at the entrance. From November 21 to December 6, during the same period, the temple also holds its autumn night viewing with illuminated autumn leaves, and the grounds can get crowded.

Access: Visiting During Your Stay at Toshi’s Place

Hasedera Temple is about a 5-minute walk from Hase Station on the Enoden line. From JR Kamakura Station, take a bus to the “Hase Kannon” stop and walk about 5 minutes.

If you stay in Kamakura, you can head to the Kannon Hall at 8:00 a.m., when admission opens and the grounds are still quiet. On the same day, you can come back in the evening for the autumn leaf illumination. At Toshi’s Place, fully unstaffed smart hotels with full kitchens and no meals provided, you can explore Kamakura at your own pace.

Summary

The full-body viewing at Hasedera is a once-in-12-years chance to see one of Japan’s largest wooden statues, the Eleven-faced Kannon, down to the feet that are normally hidden. The next Year of the Horse is 2038. For the temple’s usual highlights, see Hasedera Temple. For Hasedera on autumn evenings, see Hasedera Temple Autumn Night Viewing.

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