Stone Statues along Kumanokodo

You can see many kinds of stone statues along Kumanokodo. Each of them represent different meanings.

Jizo statue

Guardian diety of children, often covered with red apron. Usually located at the border of villages and supported by  buddhism.

At Mizunomi-oji

Koshin statue

Pray for longer life. Influenced by so called "Taoism" originated by Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu in China.

At near by Haraido-oji

Five-story pagoda

Tombstone. Originally a case for Buddha's ashes. Later become form of gravestone. You can see a lot of five-story pagoda at Nonagase clan's graveyard.

At Nonagase graveyard

Houkyouin-tower

Praying for longer life. Buddha's ashes was berried in 8 towers. 7 out of 8 towers have been taken out after, then separated into 84,000 Houkyouin-tower.

Later this also has become a form of gravestone.

At Gyuba-doji

Gyuba-doji statue

Statue is a memory of Kazan-emperor worshiping Kumano, riding on the back of horse and cow at the sametime.

The idle of Kumano-kodo.

At Gyuba-doji

Photo by
    Mr. Ryo Sode
    Ms. Mamiko Inoue
    Mr. Tadashi Sode