Statues in Japan

Discover 49 unusual statues in Japan.

Kamakura, Japan

‘Insect Mound’

Nestled among the bamboos in a temple complex, this art installation serves as a unique memorial to insects.

Gold Bug Guardian Statue

Guarding the city of Chiyoda is a bizarre insectile creature with a name no one can pronounce.

Hideyo Noguchi Statue

This site commemorates the life of a Japanese scientist who dedicated his life to the discovery of diseases.

Kimi-Chan

This sculpture bears a tragic backstory that may have inspired a hauntingly beautiful children's song.

Gokōshiyui Amidabutu

This statue of Buddha has a distinctive hairstyle meant to represent an unfathomably long period of meditation.

Basho Memorial Statue

Once the park closes at sunset, the greatest haiku poet of all time moves to face the Sumida River.

‘Tora-san and His Sister’

Life-sized statues of two characters from a decades-long Japanese film series stand outside Shibamata station.

Sasaguri, Japan

Nanzoin Temple

A serene mountaintop temple complex featuring one big, bronze Buddha.

Jan Joosten Memorial

A commemoration of the first Dutchman to reach Japan, whose name still echoes in the heart of Tokyo.

Yonezawa, Japan

The Fountain of Ideas

Ward off bad luck and fill your bottle with "the most watery water" at this little roadside shrine in Yonezawa.

Shimonoseki, Japan

Ganryū-jima

The site of a famous samurai duel.

Nana-chan Mannequin

This giant fashion model is one of the most beloved symbols of Nagoya.

The Site of Yatate Hajime

The site where the poet Matsuo Bashō read one of the first haiku that comprise his famous travelogue.

Hotei Buddha

The largest privately owned statue of Buddha in Japan, built by a total amateur, with an unconventional look.

Berobero no Kamisama

This extremely naked God of Drunkards welcomes visitors to Kochi Station.

Itoshima, Japan

Raizan Sennyoji Daihioin Temple

A culturally significant rural temple in the beautiful mountains of Itoshima.