Sanjusangendo Temple is located in eastern Kyoto. The temple is renowned for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, as well as for being the longest wooden structure in Japan, measuring 120m. It was founded in 1164 and was rebuilt a 100 years later, after being burnt down.

The name Sanjusangendo is derived from the number of intervals between the building's support columns, which is the traditional method of measuring buildings.

The main hall of the building features a large, wooden statue of a 1000-armed Kannon, with 500 statues of human sized Kannon standing in ten rows on either side.