Hidden within the sleek, modern grounds of Shibuya's Fukushō-ji temple lies Tokyo’s sole sekkan-butsu, an extraordinary fusion of ancient and medieval mortuary traditions. The 14th-century Amitabha-Buddha relief was expertly engraved onto the repurposed lid of a much older sarcophagus dating to the Kofun period. Originally crafted from western Japanese stone and gifted to the temple in the 1950s, this weathered monument offers a rare glimpse into the regional practice of transforming ancient tombs into objects of devotion. It stands as an intriguing, contemplative relic hidden in plain sight amid the capital's modern bustle.
- Temples
- Buddhist Art
- Ancient Relics
- Historic Sites
- Sculpture
- Offbeat
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