<p>Some statues are more recent, others hundreds of years old, grown with lichen</p>

Some statues are more recent, others hundreds of years old, grown with lichen (Photo: Peter Sidell)

Statues and carvings of Yanaka

Stroll round a district rich in spiritual atmosphere

Peter Sidell Sep 29, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>Some statues are more recent, others hundreds of years old, grown with lichen</p>

<p>I don't rightly know who this is</p>

<p>A petite Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy</p>

<p>Some of the statues are hiding in the foliage</p>

<p>Another Kannon (and there are more to come)</p>

<p>There's a real serenity about most of these statues</p>

<p>But this devotee looks kind of stern</p>

<p>Elaborate carved dragons in the eaves of a temple hall</p>

<p>There's a lot of greenery in many of the temple grounds</p>

<p>Carving on a side panel of a temple hall</p>

<p>Sometimes you'll find cuteness in among the spirituality</p>

<p>The big golden Kannon at Zenshou-an</p>

In the quaint traditional district of Yanaka near Nippori station, there's a big cluster of shrines and (mostly) temples, too many to name or distinguish here. In their grounds you'll find statues of many shapes and sizes, from tiny cute babies to the big golden Goddess of Mercy at Zenshou-an. And under the roofs and around the sides of the buildings are some intricately detailed carvings, adding to the charm and atmosphere.

Peter Sidell

Peter Sidell @peter.sidell

I came to Japan from Manchester, England in 2003, and have travelled a lot since then, around Japan and in Asia. When I'm not working, I write satire and perform stand-up comedy in and around Tokyo. Check YouTube for a taste.