Crossroads of the Six Paths

The Crossroads of the Six Paths features a stone Jizo statue tucked within a small, open wooden pavilion. This site marks the boundary between the living and the dead in Buddhist tradition. During the Heian period, the nearby Toribeno area served as a primary burial ground for Kyoto residents. Families brought the deceased past this exact point on their final journey. Legend claims that the monk Kobo Daishi carved the statue himself to guide souls through the six realms of reincarnation.