Happy new year 2017 and we wish everyone to enjoy a great year. As a new year’s visit to a temple, we visited Taishokannonji temple, also known as “Abiko Kannon Ji temple”（大聖観音寺、吾彦観音寺）, where I have already visited. This temple is famous for its protective charm. Abiko is originated from Abiko Yosamino（依網吾彦）, who was a powerful familiy in Sumiyoshi（住吉） district. aarya avalokitezvara（聖観音） is the bodhisattva people admire in this temple. One has a role in Naraka（奈落）. This temple was originated in 546, and is the most ancient temple for Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva（観音菩薩） in Japan. It has origins from Shotoku Taishi（聖徳太子）, Emperor Shomu（聖武天皇）, Emperor Daigo（醍醐天皇） and Masashige Kusunoki（楠木正成）. There are a few old Camphor Laurel（Cinnamomum camphora, クスノキ）trees in the sacred area. In the battle between Tokugawa and Toyotomi in 1615, Ieyasu Tokugawa（徳川家康） is said to have run away and have hidden in this temple to avoid Nobushige Sanada（真田信繁）, the last bravery of Sengoku period.
Rock doves（Columba livia, カワラバト）.
Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja（賓頭盧）, who is one of the sixteen arhats（十六羅漢）of Buddhism. He was clever and good at divine power. However, he drank a lot, and furthermore due to his thaumaturgy, he quite often made troubles and was frequently scalded by Śākya（釈迦）. That is why he is worshiped outside the building. It is said that if you stroke the body place of the statue where you are not healthy, you will be recovered.
A cat (Felis silvestris catus, イエネコ) of the temple.
