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When you set foot in Hase, Kamakura, you are enveloped by a tranquil atmosphere woven from history and nature. The Kannon Museum, standing in this area, is a museum themed around the Eleven-Faced Kannon Bodhisattva, the principal deity of Hasedera Temple, and invites visitors into a world of deep faith and culture. (kannon-museum.jp)
Upon entering the museum, the first thing that catches your eye is a temple bell, designated as an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government, cast during the Kamakura period. This bell bears the inscription "Bunei Gannen" (1264), making it the third oldest in Kamakura after the bells of Jorakuji and Kenchoji. Additionally, the inscription "Shin-Hasedera" suggests that Hasedera in Kamakura was originally called "New Hasedera" in contrast to Hasedera in Nara. (shonan-kamafuchi.com)
As you proceed further, you will find on display the statue of the Thirty-Three Manifestations of Kannon. This statue expresses how the Kannon Bodhisattva transforms into thirty-three forms to save all living beings, and its exquisite modeling and expressions speak to the profoundness of Kannon worship. (shonan-kamafuchi.com)
The museum also exhibits itabi, stone steles designated as cultural properties by Kamakura City. These itabi are stone memorial towers mainly created to pray for the repose of the deceased, and were made throughout Japan from the mid-Kamakura period to the Muromachi period. They are especially common in the Kanto region, and many are of the "Musashi type," a style believed to have been strongly influenced by the samurai of Kanto. (shonan-kamafuchi.com)
The Kannon Museum is a facility where you can experience the depth and breadth of Kannon worship, incorporating not only the cultural assets of Hasedera Temple but also the latest exhibition methods such as videos and touch panels. Originating from the "Treasure Display Room" established in the Meiji era, the "Hasedera Treasure Hall" opened in 1980 (Showa 55), and upon its 35th anniversary in 2015 (Heisei 27), the aging facilities were renewed and it was reborn as the current "Kannon Museum." (kannon-museum.jp)
By visiting this place, you can feel firsthand the history and culture of Kamakura, as well as the depth of Kannon worship. In this tranquil space, why not calm your mind and contemplate the world of the Buddha that transcends the ages?