Jizo (Ksitigarbha in Sanskrit) is one of the four main Bodhisattvas in many Buddhist sects, represented as a monk with a shaven head, dressed in simple robes. In Japan, Jizo is also a guardian deity for children, especially for the children dead before their parents.

Because of this role, the Japanese Jizo statues are often adorned with children hats and bibs (usually red), gifts offered by parents… These beautiful statues can be observed in many places, from temple courtyards to the mountain paths, and it is certainly one of the images defining Japan. Photographed here is the amazing row of Jizo in the Kanmangafuchi Abyss, in Nikko, a large group of statues known as the Impossible-to-count Bake Jizo.

Jizo statues, Kanmangafuchi Abyss, Nikko

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Yatsuhashi, Japanese garden “eight bridges”