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About Tokyo
2014.12.12

Edo Roku Jizo

According to “publication of the brief history of the erection of the statues of Edo Six Jizoes,” which was dedicated inside the statue, the origin of the Edo Six Jizoes is as follows. Jizo Monk shogen who resided in Fukagawa, Edo, had been struck by incurable disease. After praying with his parents for cure of the disease to Jizo Bosatsu, shogen was healed. After the fashion of six Jizoes in Kyoto, a petition for the construction of statues of six Jizoes was commenced in 1706 to collect public donations. Then a statue of Jizo Bosatsu was erected at each of six locations in Edo. The body and the lotus-shaped pedestal of each statue were incised with the names of solicitors and the year of construction. The statues were cast by Caster Ota Suruganokami Masayoshi in Kandanabe town. Anti-Buddhist movement at the beginning of the Meiji period destroyed the sixth Jizo Bosatsu at Eitaiji Temple in Fukagawa. Currently there are 5 remaining statues.