Kinshasan Kanzeon (金砂山観世音) & Hanaguro Inari Daimyōjin (鼻黒稲荷大明神)

Kinshasan Kanzeon

On a hill near Fujisawa Bridge in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, stands Kinshasan Kannon-do (金砂山観音堂). A Kannon-do is a hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, known in Japanese as Kannon (観音) or Kanzeon (観世音). This Kannon is also known as Sunayama Kannon (砂山観音) or Obitoke Kannon (帯解観音).

Hanaguro Inari Daimyojin

Next to the hall is a Shinto shrine enshrining the kami (deity) Hanaguro Inari Daimyojin (鼻黒稲荷大明神).

Monuments engraved with "金砂山安産子育観世音" (left) and "嗚呼九月一日" (right)

In front of the shrine stand two large stone monuments. One bears the inscription "金砂山安産子育観世音," where anzan (安産) means safe childbirth and kosodate (子育) means child-rearing. The other is engraved with "嗚呼九月一日," which translates to "Ah, September 1." This monument commemorates the Great Kanto Earthquake, which struck on that date in 1923.

Within the grounds, there are also additional stone monuments, including koshin-to (stone markers erected by followers of the Koshin faith as expressions of devotion).

References:

• Kanagawa Prefectural Government. (n.d.). Kinshasan Kannon-do. TOKYO DAY TRIP Kanagawa Travel Info. https://trip.pref.kanagawa.jp/destination/kinshasan-kannon-do/1170
• 公益社団法人神奈川県観光協会. (n.d.). 金砂山観音堂. 神奈川県公式観光ホームページ 観光かながわNow. https://www.kanagawa-kankou.or.jp/spot/1170
• 藤沢市ふじさわ宿交流館. (n.d.). 砂山観音堂・鼻黒稲荷大明神. 藤沢市ふじさわ宿交流館. https://fujisawashuku-kouryukan.com/kyutoukaido/osusume/05-osusume.html