"1500 rakans (arhats)" (Kyonan)

Japan / Chiba / Futtsu / Kyonan
 sculpture, buddhism, interesting place
More then one and a half thousand small figures of arhats were carved by Jingoro Eirei Ono and his 27 apprentices. between 1779 and 1798. The statues are placed on strangely shaped rocks, or in semi-caves made by erosion. The stones were brought from Izu Peninsula by sea; and these images are great treasures of the temple.

They all have different facial expression, and some people think that they present even a more interesting view then the Daibutsu itself.

Unfortunately quite many of the rakan statues were destroyed during the Meiji period by anti-Buddhist activities. Yet even those remaining (many of them were repaired) are a good reason to visit the Nokogiri mountain.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   35°9'31"N   139°50'2"E
This article was last modified 13 years ago