Statues in Japan

In the hometown of Eiji Tsuburaya, a street lined with intergalactic heroes and monsters.

Up on the iconic Tsutenkaku Tower sits an American mascot that became Osaka’s own lucky god.

Locals have put a new makeup on this strange statue every year since they unearthed it.

This temple is home to a group of Buddha statues made from thousands of bones and ashes of the deceased.

This ornate example of 19th-century Chinese architecture is one of only a handful of Confucius shrines in Japan.

This statue of what appears to be a feudal lord is actually a tribute to Japan's most beloved comedian.

This statue of a deified “hag” is said to protect children from the common cold and coughing fits.

Another statue of Japan's most famous dog stands in his hometown.

This replica of the Statue of Liberty is a quarter of the size of the real thing. It sits on the same latitude as the original, but on the other side of the world.

A quartet of temple guardian statues that allegedly cry at night for being forbidden from wrestling.

A giant statue of the Buddhist goddess of mercy watches over the town of Ōfuna.

This shrine, built to protect against destructive waves, is home to two monumental lion heads.

Commemorating the Japanese migration to Peru, this statue has a sister standing across the Pacific.

A bizarre object of worship believed to grant wishes to those who tie it up with a rope.

In the former treasury of a popular temple, a rare sculptural depiction of Kannon’s diverse avatars.

Feast your eyes on the centuries-old statues of the judges of hell.