Maeyama 100 Avalokitesvara (bodhisattva of mercy and salvation)
Description
At the end of the Edo period (1603-1868), the Kannon faith flourished, and the principal images of 100 temples in the sacred sites of the Kannon in western Japan, Bando, and Chichibu were engraved on stones and enshrined as a place of prayer. The stone statues were donated by people from nearby villages, including Otari Village and as far away as Omachi. At first, more than 70 stone statues were enshrined here, and the rest were divided into Kawauchi and Matsuzawa areas, but the statues from Kawauchi area were moved here in the Showa period (1926-1989), and now there are 100 statues including those from this and Matsuzawa Yakushi Hall. The stone masons from Ina-Takato made the statues, and the sight of them all lined up in a row overlooking the Northern Alps is a sight to behold. It is believed that the walkers and oxen must have prayed for the safety of their travelers and had a meal here.
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