Kamiwano Bato Kannon Former Hall

About the Kamiwano Bato Kannon Former Hall

The Kamiwano Bato Kannon Former Hall (上和野馬頭観世音旧堂) is the earlier main hall of a horse-headed Kannon shrine in Kaminoshimosawada, Shizukuishi Town, Iwate Prefecture; dating back to the mid-Edo period, it was repaired in 1881 and moved in 1914, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 1, 2016. It is now known as the Emado, the votive-picture hall (Shizukuishi Town).

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a single-storey wooden building with a sheet-iron roof and a building area of 32 square metres; registration number 03-0085, owned by the religious corporation Kamiwano Bato Kannon, and dated to the mid-Edo period (1661 to 1751).

Why It Was Registered

The Kamiwano Bato Kannon Former Hall was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as the reputed predecessor of the main hall, conveying the faith of a district famous for fine horses.

Shizukuishi Town notes that, until the present main hall was built, it long served as the spiritual centre of the community.

What to Look For

The Kamiwano Bato Kannon Former Hall faces north. It is a three-bay hall with a one-bay porch (Agency for Cultural Affairs), square in plan, with a hip-and-gable roof entered on the long side and finished in flat-seamed sheet iron (Shizukuishi Town).

A ridge tag of 1881 records a "revival", which Shizukuishi Town reads as reroofing and major repairs to the veranda rather than rebuilding, dating the original to the mid to late Edo period. Traces show that a full-width three-bay altar once stood at the back (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Many votive horse paintings are kept inside (Shizukuishi Town).

Visiting the Kamiwano Bato Kannon Former Hall

We found no official information on interior access or visiting hours for the Kamiwano Bato Kannon Former Hall. The address and contact details are on the Kamiwano Bato Kannon page.