{"id":28765,"date":"2026-11-08T16:26:32","date_gmt":"2026-11-08T07:26:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/?page_id=28765"},"modified":"2026-11-08T17:41:27","modified_gmt":"2026-11-08T08:41:27","slug":"hatsukannon","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kamakuraguide.com\/en\/hase-yuigahama\/hasedera-kamakura\/hatsukannon\/","title":{"rendered":"Hasedera Temple Hatsu-Kannon, the First Kannon Day of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What Is Hatsu-Kannon at Hasedera?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the 18th of every month, Hasedera Temple (\u9577\u8c37\u5bfa)<\/a> holds the Kannon-e (\u89b3\u97f3\u4f1a), a service on the ennichi (\u7e01\u65e5), the monthly holy day, of its main statue, the Eleven-faced Kannon (\u5341\u4e00\u9762\u89b3\u4e16\u97f3\u83e9\u85a9). The first Kannon-e of the year, held on January 18, is called Hatsu-Kannon (\u521d\u89b3\u97f3). It is the first day of the year to form a bond with Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Hasedera
The illustration is for reference only<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Date and Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hatsu-Kannon takes place every year on January 18. In a typical year, the service is held in the Kannon Hall (\u89b3\u97f3\u5802) from 10:00. The temple does not announce when the service ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlights: The Full Kannon Sutra, Chanted Once a Year<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At the usual monthly Kannon-e, only one part of the Kannon Sutra (\u89b3\u97f3\u7d4c), called the Seson-ge (\u4e16\u5c0a\u5048), is chanted. At Hatsu-Kannon, the monks chant the full text of Kannon-gyo Fumonbon Dai Nijugo (\u89b3\u97f3\u7d4c\u666e\u9580\u54c1\u7b2c\u4e8c\u5341\u4e94), chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra devoted to Kannon. Ordinary visitors can also attend the service, and the temple invites everyone to take part. The main statue is 9.18 meters tall and one of the largest wooden Buddhist statues in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlights: Turning the Revolving Sutra Bookcase<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Because the 18th is Kannon’s holy day, you can turn the rinzo (\u8f2a\u8535), a revolving sutra bookcase inside the Kyozo (\u7d4c\u8535) sutra hall. The rinzo holds the Issaikyo (\u4e00\u5207\u7d4c), the entire Buddhist canon, and turning it once is said to bring the same merit as reading all of it. The rinzo can be turned only on the 18th of every month, during the first three days of the New Year, on April 8, and on August 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The regular entrance fee applies (adults 400 yen, elementary school students 200 yen). Photography is not allowed inside the Kannon Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access: Visiting During Your Stay at Toshi’s Place<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hasedera Temple is about a 5-minute walk from Hase Station (\u9577\u8c37\u99c5) on the Enoden (\u6c5f\u30ce\u96fb) line. From JR Kamakura Station (\u938c\u5009\u99c5), take a bus to the \u201cHase Kannon (\u9577\u8c37\u89b3\u97f3)\u201d stop and walk about 5 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you stay in Kamakura (\u938c\u5009), you can head to Hasedera in the morning in time for the 10:00 service. At Toshi’s Place, fully unstaffed smart hotels with full kitchens and no meals provided, you can explore Kamakura at your own pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On January 18 at Hasedera, you can attend the year’s first Kannon-e and hear the full Kannon Sutra, then turn the rinzo, which can be turned only on holy days, to gain merit. Hasedera’s year begins with the Manto Kigan-e (\u4e07\u706f\u7948\u9858\u4f1a) on New Year’s Day<\/a> and ends with the Toshi-no-Ichi (\u6b73\u306e\u5e02) and Kannon Mi-ashi Mairi (\u89b3\u97f3\u5fa1\u8db3\u53c2\u308a) on December 18<\/a>. For the temple’s usual highlights, see Hasedera Temple<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basic Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Item<\/th>Details<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Name<\/td>Hasedera Temple Hatsu-Kannon<\/td><\/tr>
Date<\/td>January 18 every year<\/td><\/tr>
Hours<\/td>Service from 10:00 (typical year)<\/td><\/tr>
Venue<\/td>Kannon Hall, Hasedera Temple<\/td><\/tr>
Address<\/td>3-11-2 Hase, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0016<\/td><\/tr>
Fees<\/td>Entrance fee: adults 400 yen, elementary school students 200 yen<\/td><\/tr>
Notes<\/td>No photography inside the Kannon Hall<\/td><\/tr>
Access<\/td>About 5 minutes on foot from Hase Station (Enoden). From JR Kamakura Station, bus to \u201cHase Kannon,\u201d then about 5 minutes on foot<\/td><\/tr>
Contact<\/td>Hasedera Temple +81-467-22-6300<\/td><\/tr>
Official website<\/td>Annual events (Hasedera Temple, Japanese)<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Google Map<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n<\/iframe>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What Is Hatsu-Kannon at Hasedera? On the 18th of every month, Hasedera Temple (\u9577\u8c37\u5bfa) holds the Kannon-e (\u89b3\u97f3\u4f1a), a service on the ennichi (\u7e01\u65e5), the monthly holy day, of its main statue, the Eleven-faced Kannon (\u5341\u4e00\u9762\u89b3\u4e16\u97f3\u83e9\u85a9). The first Kannon-e of the year, held on January 18, is called Hatsu-Kannon (\u521d\u89b3\u97f3). It is the first day […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":1906,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page__event.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"kamakura_cuisine":[],"class_list":["post-28765","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t