Kairyuoji Temple

Kairyuoji Temple in Nara holds a remarkable Eleven-Headed Kannon statue designated as an Important Cultural Property. Created during the Kamakura period, the statue was modeled on an original commissioned by Empress Komyo, an ardent Buddhist patron who founded Hokkeji and supported Todaiji and Kofukuji. The eleven heads carry a range of expressions, with the central face radiating calm compassion. Scholars interpret the lower ten heads as representing stages on the path to enlightenment, and the uppermost as buddhahood itself. The temple sits quietly off Nara's main tourist circuit, attracting visitors who come specifically for this sculpture.