Although I went to Daian-zenji Temple in Fukui just to see irises, I found lots lots more than just flowers there and here is one of the delights I found at the temple: Statues. There were a lot of them both inside and outside the temple buildings. The most impressive was an old wooden statue without one arm and both legs which was made during the Heian Period (794 - 1185) in one of the temple buildings, but the small Jizo statues along the walking path also delighted me. They looked just happy surrounded by wild flowers in the woods! Other than these, you can also visit the cemetery of the lords of Fukui's Matsudaira Clan and the local poet Tachibana Akemi's tomb in the hills surrounding the temple. The temple is a 30-minute drive from the center of Fukui city. Free parking is available.
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