Fudo Myo-o Statue – Osaka, Japan - Atlas Obscura
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Fudo Myo-o Statue

Osaka, Japan

A moss-covered statue of a Japanese Buddhist deity stands at a quiet temple in downtown Osaka. 

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Left: grnj (Atlas Obscura User)
Right: The shrine housing the statue (Hozenji) Scribbling Geek (Atlas Obscura User)
The shrine housing the statue (Hozenji) Scribbling Geek (Atlas Obscura User)
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Concealed in the small Hozenji Temple built in 1637 stands a statue covered in moss. It pays homage to Fudo Myo-o, one of five Wisdom Kings in Japanese Buddhism.

Fudo Myo-o means “the immovable wisdom king,” because he battles evil with immovable faith and compassion, using self-control to be free from suffering. 

Due to the constant watering, the statue is now covered in lush and vivid green thick moss. It is the only historic structure in the area to have survived the bombings of World War II.

Know Before You Go

Before making a wish, splash some water on the statue of the deity (contrary to tossing coins as usual in other Japanese temples).

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