Statue of Jizo
Carved from a single block of cypress wood in the ninth century, this statue was moved from Daigorinji Temple, which was associated with the Omiwa Shrine in Nara Prefecture after the separation of Shinto and Buddhism during the early Meiji era (1868–1912). Widely revered in Japan, Jizo can take the form of a monk and represents the historical Buddha after he passed away. The Jizo embodies compassion and salvation and listens to the prayers, however mundane, of all who are suffering