Statues representing Jizo are everywhere in Japan, placed in temples, in front of homes, at cross-roads or even in the woods. Most of these statues are adorned with hats and bibs, but one of them is really unique: the Jizo of the Narihira Temple in Katsushika, Tokyo.

This Jizo statue is always tied up with a large number of ropes, due to a unique tradition originating in the Edo Period, when a magistrate “punished” the statue for neglecting it duty to protect the travelers…

Shibarare Jizo, Narihira Temple, Katsushika, Tokyo

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: About Japan from… manhole covers, Kawagoe Matoi Manhole Cover