Five Hundred Arhats

In Buddhism, the Five Hundred Arhats are the most loyal of the Buddha’s disciples, who attended the religion’s first council at Rājagṛha (modern Rajgir) right after the Buddha’s final nirvana to compile his teachings into scriptures. Several Japanese and Chinese temples are home to statues of the Arhats, which are said to bring good luck to visitors.

One of Japan’s three most popular arhat temple is Kita-in in Kawagoe, a quaint city about an hour away from Tokyo. Its famed sculpture garden contains a total of 538 statues, including the Great Buddha, Amitabha, Ksitigarbha, and the Bodhisattvas.

They were sculpted in the late Edo period, from 1782 to 1825, at the suggestion of a local monk named Shijo. They have since stood in the temple garden, collecting layers of moss and lichen.

Interestingly, the sculptures are not all serious and hard-faced. There is an endearing sense of humor to many of the arhats at Kita-in Temple, a touch of human nature, something even relatable to us living two centuries ahead of them.

For example, one arhat can be seen reclining and taking up his neighbor’s space, who appears to be (understandably) annoyed but keeping it cool. Another arhat lies resting his cheeks on his hands, in a manner perhaps resembling that of a teenage girl gossiping at a sleepover. While some meditate solemnly, some are laughing, crying, sneezing, and there is even a monk who is definitely picking his nose.

Each of the arhat statues is uniquely sculpted, making it a fun experience to explore the enclosure and enjoy the multi-faceted essence of Buddhist art.