Chichibu Thirty-four Kannon Pilgrimage

The Chichibu pilgrimage (秩父三十四観音) is a circuit of thirty-four Kannon temples in the Chichibu basin, in the hills of western Saitama. Compact enough to walk in about a week, it became a favourite of the townspeople of Edo, and it remains one of the most intimate pilgrimages in Japan: village halls, mountain caves and rice fields rather than great monasteries.

Temples 34
First temple Shimabuji
Last temple Suisenji
Length Around 100 kilometres

The thirty-fourth temple

The Kannon pilgrimages have thirty-three temples after the thirty-three forms of Kannon. Chichibu added a thirty-fourth so that, together with the Saikoku and Bandō routes, the three make one hundred: the Hundred Kannon of Japan.

The year of the horse

Chichibu's hidden Kannon images are traditionally shown to the public once every twelve years, in the year of the horse, because the Chichibu Kannon is said to have been established in such a year. These openings, kaichō, draw great crowds. See The Japanese Zodiac.

Collecting notes

  • Chichibu stamp scrolls are often combined with the other Kannon routes. Edo period pilgrimage guides and maps are attractive printed objects.
  • Local carved Kannon and folk images from Chichibu reflect the rural character of the route.

In the collection

Browse Kannon figures and hanging scrolls. Our collector concierge, based in Saitama, can search the region for Chichibu material.

See also

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