A surfing Buddha, a Buddha doing a handstand or how about a saxophone playing Buddha- these are just a few examples of the rakan or stone statues displayed at the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Buddhist temple in Arashiyama.
Unlike your traditional temple, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji has more than 1200 of these humorous statues in the main hall.
The temple, which was originally built in the middle of the 8th century by Emperor Shotoku, has survived floods, fires and typhoons.
The rakan sculptures were part of the restoration project that was completed in 1981. Under the careful guidance of renowned sculptor, Kocho Nishimura, hundreds of amateur and professional sculptors carved these statues from stone, creating the colorful mix of statues that range from the silly to the downright scary.
It has now become a tradition for visitors to find the rakan that best resembles themselves. With hundreds of these little figures, it's a bit like finding waldo- Buddha style!
Getting There:
From Kyoto station, take the Bus 72 to Otagidera Mae. From Hankyu Arashiyama station, take the Bus 62 or 72 to Otagidera Mae. If you know Arashiyama, go to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji and follow the walking path north. You willl come to Otagi in about 10 minutes.
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