Daifuku-ji, Buddhist temple in Tateyama, Japan.
Daifuku-ji is a temple where the Kannon Hall rests on steep rock cliffs of Mount Funakata, held up by vermillion wooden pillars. Inside, a tall Kannon statue stands protected, and ancient stone carvings from early periods are kept within its halls.
A Buddhist priest named Gyoki founded the temple in 717 during the Nara period. The Tokugawa shogunate later granted it official status during the Edo period.
Pilgrims visit to pray before the Kannon statue housed within the stone halls of the temple. The wooden structure appears to grow from the cliff itself, merging religious practice with the mountain landscape.
The temple sits high on a cliff, so visitors should wear comfortable shoes and allow time for walking. The grounds are quiet and require some care when exploring, as paths are not flat everywhere.
The hall is built directly into the rock face of the mountain, so stone and wood blend into each other. This makes it hard to tell where the cliff ends and the building begins.
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