I walked along the street of "Little Edo" and after that, I went to a notable temple, "Kita-in", situated in the southeast of the city.
There are two things to see. One is the garden inspired by "Noh" stage. The other is the 500 "Rakan" statues built in the Edo period.
(Above: 500 Rakan statues)
"Rakan" means a disciple of Buddha. So they must be sacred men. But here, the statues have a variety of postures and expressions: drinking, whispering, lying, crying...
They are very humorous. I like them so much.
The garden is a modern garden following the traditional manners of a Japanese garden. It represents a natural landscape in a mountain with a waterfall and stream.
The garden designer effectively uses the rocks and stones including the stepping stones so as to emphasize the perspective: he set big stones in the front and small ones at the back.
What is unique is the pine tree in the center. This tree is also an element to provide the perspective. And the setting is inspired by "Noh" stage.
Since it was a hot day, this refreshing garden pleased the visitors.