Escape the chaos and find peace at Oya Temple

🗺 Place Name: Oya Temple ✨Highlights: Oya Temple is located in Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture. One of its most notable features is the 27-meter-tall Peace Kannon (平和観音 Heiwa Kannon), carved as a memorial to soldiers of the Pacific War and to pray for world peace. It was sculpted from stone quarried at the Oya Quarry and built on the rock wall of Oya Temple. The artist Hida Asajiro (飛田朝次郎) and the stone craftsmen of Oya took about six years to complete the hand-carved statue. If you climb the stairs to the side of the Kannon, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the observation point. 🚅 How to get there: From the west exit of JR Utsunomiya Station, go to bus stop number 6 and take the "Oya-Tatsuiwa-yuki" bus for about 30 minutes. Get off at the "Oya-Kannon-mae" stop and walk for about 3 minutes. 🗣Tips: From December to March, the temple is closed every Thursday and from December 21 to 31.