Dai Amidado, the Large Amida Hall of Kanjizaioin
Kanjizaioin Temple featured a pair of worship halls, each of which enshrined an image of Amida, the primary Buddha worshipped in Pure Land Buddhism.
As the largest hall at Kanjizaioin, the Large Amida Hall (Dai Amidado) likely served as the main temple building and worship hall. This hall enshrined sacred statues of Amida Nyorai, Kannon Bodhisattva, and the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, who represents the power of wisdom. The hall’s interior featured silver altars with gold railings, and contained depictions of famous places in Kyoto.
It is believed that Kanjizaioin Temple, including the Large Amida Hall, was constructed during the twelfth century by the wife of Fujiwara no Motohira (1105–1157), the second Fujiwara lord to rule Hiraizumi. According to temple records, the temple buildings were lost to fire during a war in 1573, and the existing building was constructed during the eighteenth century. A stone roof decoration discovered at this location, which researchers believe was part of the original Large Amida Hall, is now housed in the Treasure Hall Museum at Motsuji Temple.