A bronze statue of a seated Buddha sits behind the main gate, but these figures are composed of human remains. Every ten years, the temple monks collect the ashes of thousands of people, mix them with resin, and cast a new statue to honor the deceased. The practice began in eighteen eighty-seven, and today, fourteen of these Okotsu Butsu, or bone Buddhas, reside here. The temple grounds hold over two hundred thousand souls within the quiet, metallic faces of these permanent residents.
Isshin-ji Temple
religious
The audio tour continues in the Mira app →