An ancient Shingon temple founded in 725 by Gyoki Bosatsu, one of the Three Mountains of Enshu. The main image of Sho Kannon is famous for warding off bad luck and forging good ties. Tokugawa Ieyasu is said to have stopped here to pray for victory in battle, earning the temple renown as the "Yakuyoke Kannon of Enshu." The signature "Yakuyoke Dango" sweet skewered rice cakes date from the Edo perio…

Hattasan Sonnei-ji is an ancient Shingon Buddhist temple traditionally said to have been founded in 725 (the 2nd year of Jinki) by the monk Gyoki Bosatsu, acting on an imperial decree from Emperor Shomu. From its earliest days, the temple enshrined Sho Kannon as its principal image, gaining renown a…