Hyakutai Jizouson

A mountain of Jizo Buddha

Even though this is just something you see for a few minutes before walking on, I give it five stars because there is something very moving about the Jizo at the top of Mt Katsuragi. And the statues are in an unusual formation in the shape of a mountain. Plus they are located in a beautiful "sky garden". And they have been on top of the mountain long before there was ever a park there: since the Kamakura period (1185 - 1333). The name translates to the 100 statues of Jizo Buddha. However, there are 105 of them! They are just one of the things you can see in the Izunokuni Panorama Park at the top of Mt Katsuragi. People pray to them for a long and healthy life, good luck in marriage, avoiding bad luck, academic advancement, and economic fortune. The statues are accessible while the park is open and the rope-way is running. It varies through the seasons, but generally you can access the mountain top from 10 am to 4 pm all year round. It is free to view the statues, but you have to pay for the rope-way.