Gohōsha Honchi-dō

At Gohōsha Honchi-dō the centre of worship is the Goddess Hariti / Kariteimo, famous for her connection to the Sendango Festival, Festival of one thousand dumplings, held every year in May for the past six hundred years at Miidera.
Built in 1651, the hall was relocated to its present site during extensive renovation carried out in 1727 and during renovation work in 2004 the cypress bark thatching was restored to its original condition bringing back to life the ambience from centuries past.
The architectural style is worthy of note as truly representative of a shrine dedicated to the worship of Aryavalokitesvara, who is said to be the true form of Hariti / Kariteimo.
Aryavalokitesvara is a bodhisattva believed to embody the compassion of all Buddhas. Portrayed in different cultures as either male or female, Avalokiteśvara is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism, as well as unofficially in Theravada Buddhism.
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