Japan Adventure

Rain on my window . . .


Winding our way north toward Fukuoka, still in Kyushu.


We couldn't figure out what these small fans on stands in fields were for.


They look too small to be wind farm windmills, but they definitely have a purpose.


Wow - look at this AMAZING large white statue we spotted out the window! It was towering over everything around it. Found this info while researching: This statue is called Guze Jibo Daikannon located at Narita-san Temple in Kurame, Fukuoka Prefecture, and built in 1983. It stands 62 meters high - (more than 203 feet). Read more info about this VERY interesting type of statue here: Jibo 慈母 literally means "Compassionate Mother." Other common translations include Goddess of Motherly Love, Merciful Mother, or Affectionate Mother. A feminine form of Kannon often depicted as a white-robed woman holding a babe in her arms. This iconography reportedly originated in China in the 14th and 15th century, where the deity was known as Songzi Guanyin 送子観音 (Child-Giving Guanyin), but did not make its way to Japan until the Tokugawa Era 徳川時代 (+1615-1867), when it was appropriated by the outlawed Christians, who hid their faith by venerating the Virgin Mary disguised as a statue of Jibo Kannon. Such statues are known as Maria Kannon. Jibo Kannon is thus a relative latecomer to Japan's Buddhist pantheon. We're definitely going to plan a trip back to visit this temple & statue!