Chuzenji Temple (中禅寺, Chūzenji) is a large Buddhist temple on the eastern shore of Lake Chuzenji known for its six meter tall sculpture of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy carved into a tree. The tree itself is registered as one of the National Cultural Properties of Japan. The temple, which dates back to 794 CE, is the 18th temple on the 33 temple Bando pilgrimage route, which covers a distance of 1,300 kilometers through the Kanto region.
