Iwaya Kannondo

Iwaya Kannondo is located on the hillside of Aokata's Kannondake (roughly 160m above sea level). The holy seated Kannon statue is the principle object, and it said to have been made in the Muromachi period (1336–1573). In the area, there are two caves, one containing a Kannon statue and one containing a stone Jizo statue. Along the road to the shrine stands ten stone Buddha statues.
In 2006, the 23rd "33 Consecrations Service" was performed, which has around 760 years of history.
Every year on the 17th and 18th of January, the Iwaya Kannon Great Temple Festival is held, which attracts visitors from all around Kamigoto to pray for safe households, safe sea travel, large fishing hauls, bountiful harvests, economic prosperity, and academic success.
According to legend, long ago a light appeared atop this mountain nearly every night, causing unease among the villagers. On one such night, a distinguished priest of Aokata's Chofuku Temple, Kadonaga, had Kannon appear in his dreams. "Bring me to that shining land, and I shall ease the masses perpetually," Kannon declared. That dream persisted for the next three days. Kadonaga waited for the break of dawn before climbing the mountain, searching within the overgrown trees until he discovered a cave sealed by a strangely shaped rock. He enshrined the Kannon statue within, and the light no longer appeared at night.