The principle object of worship here is a Buddhist image, normally withheld from public view, of Hobashira Kannon. Due to having saved Saicho (a Japanese Buddhist monk) from trouble at sea as he returned to Japan by boat from a pilgrimage, this particular deity is worshipped for protection at sea. Connections have also been identified between the sitting statue of Yakushi Nyorai with Sumiyoshi, the god of the sea, and it is a focus for prayers as a figure of worship in the world of water.