Fuko-ji and Sugao Stone Buddhas,
Kyushu, Japan (May 2024)
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Fuko-ji is a
Buddhist temple located 2km south from the small town of Asaji, itself some
37km southwest of Oita City. While the temple itself is not particularly
remarkable, its site is quite stunning, with a huge relief of Fudo-myo-o and
his two attendants carved in a vertical cliff.
The Sugao
Stone Buddhas form a collection of five Buddhist figures, similar in style to
those of Usuki. They are located 1.2km north of the Sugao station, itself 17km
east of Asaji.
Fuko-ji
View of the
small Asaji station, an approximately 1h10 train ride from Oita station.
The walk between Asaji station and Fuko-ji is about
3.5km long. It is a pleasant walk in the countryside along small roads with
very light traffic.
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Kakashi along
the road. Such kakashi (a word that originally meant ″scarecrow″) are
increasingly popular in the Japanese countryside. Local residents create these
dolls mimicking everyday activities in reaction against depopulation, as a way
to preserve an image of their lifestyle.
Fuko-ji, a
Koyasan Shingon Buddhist temple, seen from its sanmon.
Rows of
statues outside the temple.
Inside the
temple.
View of the
spectacular cliff facing the temple, with a huge Buddhist relief carving on the
left and two shallow caves on its right. The carvings are estimated to date
from the Kamakura period (1185-1333). They depict three characters: an
11.4m-tall Fudo-myo-o in the middle and his two
attendants, Kongora-doji and Seitaka-doji, at his sides.
Views of the
relief carving.
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Rows of small
Buddhist statues lined up in the first cave on the right of the relief carving.
Four larger
sculptures carved out from the left side of the cave wall.
Another
relief sculpture carved out from the right side of the cave wall.
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View of the
rightmost cave and the small ritual hall built into it.
Sugao Stone Buddhas
The walk from the Sugao station to this
site is another pleasant walk (approximately 20min) along small roads with
light traffic.
Stairs
leading to the stone carvings.
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This site contains five sculptures
(representing four sitting characters and one standing) carved in a 9m-wide,
4m-high rock cavity. They are believed to date from the late Heian period. From
left to right they represent Senju Kannon (Thousand-armed Kannon), Yakushi
Nyorai (Medicine Buddha), Amida Nyorai (Buddha of Limitless
Light), Juichimen Kannon (Eleven-headed Kannon), and Tamon-ten (the
guardian of the northern direction). Each statue is between 1.8m and 1.9m
in height.
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