# Ofuna Kannon

> A white concrete bust of Kannon about 25 meters tall on the hill above Ofuna Station, begun in 1929, abandoned for 23 years and finished in 1960. It is now a Soto Zen temple and a branch of Soji-ji; entry is 300 yen.

- Prefecture: Kanagawa
- Type: Temple
- Address: Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan
- Opening hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–16:00
- Admission: 300 yen
- Official site: https://oofuna-kannon.or.jp/

Come out of the west exit of Ofuna Station and a huge white face looks down at you from the wooded hill across the road. This is the Ofuna Kannon, a bust of the White-Robed Kannon about 25 meters tall. Work began in 1929 on what was meant to be a standing figure, but the hilltop was too unstable, so the plan shrank to a bust, and donations dried up in the Depression. Construction stopped in 1934 and the unfinished statue stood abandoned for 23 years, until a foundation backed by Goto Keita, the head of Tokyu, completed it in 1960. In 1981 it became a Soto Zen temple, a direct branch of Soji-ji in Tsurumi. You can walk inside the statue, a quiet space dedicated to prayers for peace, with a notebook for messages to the Kannon. Nearby, a flame carried from the embers of Hiroshima has burned since 1990 at a memorial built by Kanagawa's association of atomic bomb survivors. The route from the station is short, but the final approach is a steep paved slope. The gate opens 9:00 to 16:00, entry is 300 yen paid at the gate, and there is no parking.

## FAQ

### How much does it cost and when is it open?

The gate is open 9:00 to 16:00. Entry is 300 yen for adults (high school age and over) and 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students; younger children are free.

### Can you go inside the Kannon statue?

Yes. The interior of the statue is open to visitors as a space of prayer for peace, and there is a notebook where you can leave a message for the Kannon.

### Is there parking at Ofuna Kannon?

No. The temple asks visitors to use nearby coin parking or come by train; it is about a 10-minute walk from the west exit of Ofuna Station.

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Source: Ofuna Kannon — Japan Voyage