Zenkoji is an ancient temple in Nagano City jointly administered by Tendai and Jodo Buddhist sects — a uniquely non-sectarian sacred site. Its principal image, the Ikko Sanzon Amida (Amida Buddha flanked by Kannon and Seishi Bodhisattvas sharing a single halo), is classified as an “absolute secret Buddha” (zettai hibutsu) and has never been publicly displayed since the temple’s founding.
According to tradition, the image arrived from Baekje (ancient Korea) in 552 CE and was enshrined by a local man named Honda Yoshimitsu. Because it predates Japan’s established Buddhist sects, Zenkoji developed as a pilgrimage site open to all denominations — visited by the founders of Jodo, Jodo Shinshu, Ji, Nichiren, and Soto Zen sects alike.