名古屋の代表的な繁華街である大須にある寺院。大須の地区の西側にあるのと同時に、商店街の端に位置するため、商店街の喧騒は寺の境内にはそれ程響いてこない。それでも商店街を訪れた客の多くが参拝客としてこの寺に立ち寄っている。俗世の雑多な雰囲気と境内の建物の朱色の荘厳さが混ざり合った雰囲気を漂わせるが、不協和音な空気感は全く無く、むしろ永き渡り庶民に深く愛され続けてきた寺であることが伺える。
境内はそれ程広くはなく、単に周遊するだけであれば30分と要さない。平日・休日問わず多くの参拝客が訪れるため、例え祭事が無くても静かで閑散とした境内、という状況は皆無に等しいかもしれない。半ば観光地化した寺でもある一方で、数多くの文化財を擁するものの、それらのほぼ全てが非公開であるため、(祭事を除き)この寺院に特別なものを期待して参拝することは控えた方がいいと思う。この寺院に参拝出来たこと、日頃の感謝を込めてしずしずと参拝するのがいいだろう。
本堂の参拝する場所への昇降は階段のみであるため、車椅子等の障碍を持つ方が参拝出来るように、本堂の建物の1階にも参拝出来る場所が設けられている。
The temple is located in Osu, one of Nagoya's most popular shopping districts. The temple is located on the west side of the Osu district and at the edge of the shopping arcade, so the bustle of the shopping arcade does not echo so much in the temple precincts. Even so, many visitors to the shopping district stop by the temple as worshippers. The mundane atmosphere and the solemn vermilion of the buildings on the temple precincts blend together, but there is no sense of dissonance; in fact, the temple has been deeply loved by the common people for a long time.
The temple precincts are not that large, and it does not take more than 30 minutes to simply walk around the temple. Since many visitors come to the temple both on weekdays and holidays, you may never find the temple precincts quiet and deserted, even if there are no festivals. While the temple has become a tourist attraction, it's also home to many cultural assets, almost all of which are not open to the public, so visitors should not expect anything special from this temple (except for festivals). It would be better to visit the temple quietly, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to worship here.
Since the only access to the main hall is by stairs, there is also a place on the first floor of the main building for those with disabilities, such as wheelchairs, to worship.