Rengeo-in Main Hall (Sanjusangen-do)

This hall, currently managed by the Myoho-in Temple (Tendai School), is formally known as the Rengeon-in. It was founded in 1164 by Taira-no-Kiyomori in a section of the Hojuji-dono, the regent’s palace of Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa. While it was lost to fire once, it was rebuilt promptly, and completed in 1266. Thus the present building, while it has been extensively repaired on four occasions, has been carefully protected for over 750 years.
The long, large hall, with a gabled Japanese-style roof covered in two-piece tiles, is 118 meters north to south. As there are 33 spaces or bays between the pillars running down the hall, it is known as the Hall of Thirty-Three Bays, or Sanjusangen-do. Inside, it houses a seated statue of a thousand-armed Kannon (National Treasure) nearly 5 meters tall, which is flanked by 1,000 statues of Kannon (all National Treasures) as well as statues of the gods of wind and thunder (Fujin and Raijin) and 28 Attendant Deities for a total of 30 other Buddhist statues (all National Treasures). The Taiko Fence and Great South Gate (both Important Cultural Properties) in the grounds were built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 16th century. The Toshi-ya archery festival held in each new year is one of the symbols of winter in Kyoto.
Kyoto City