Sep 4, 2015 - 1 min read

Shotaiji, Lake Hamana

A hillside temple with scores of statues to find

By Peter Sidell

Community writer

Part of the graveyard

Three of the statues

Two more statues

Some are in better condition than others

A view back down the slope

When I visited, the hill was pretty overgrown

Lichens have been growing on the statues for hundreds of years

Another lichen-coated statue

A view of Lake Hamana

I reached the top!

The pond at the main part of the temple

The main temple hall

This little shrine is at the entrance from the road

If you're staying at the Villa Hamanako on the western shore of Lake Hamana, there really isn't much to do nearby, but one thing I did find was Shotaiji, an old temple notable for the 88 ancient Buddhist statues on the grassy hill behind it. When I visited in autumn it was very overgrown, but that just added to the sense that it was untouched by time, the moss- and lichen-covered statues often hidden in the foliage.

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Peter Sidell

By Peter Sidell

Community writer

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