When in Japan, you simply have to notice them. These simple stone statues clad in red. You notice them at many places – next to roads or pavements, on temple grounds, in cemeteries… They catch your eyes and make you curious what they are representing and what they mean for the Japanese. And why are they clad?They not only look interesting but as you find out more about them, you realize, that they are in fact a complex phenomenon. I will try to concentrate on the essence.
In Buddhism it is believed that the souls of all children who die have to go to the Sai no Kawara.
Sai no Kawara is a Buddhist term meaning Children´s limbo. It is represented by a sandy beach on a riverbed of souls in purgatory. This has some similar features with the Styx river of Greek mythology. When the souls of dead children get there, their clothes are stolen by Shozuka no Baba, a demonic dreadful old hag, a she-devil. Then they are promissed by her to be able to reach the Holy Paradise if they are able to pile stones to create a staircase high enough. Children try to build feverishly, however the result of their effort is constantly being destroyed by Shozuka no Baba herself as well as her fellow devils. It seems they will never be able to get out of this limbo…
Luckily, good deity Jizo, who loves children, steps in to help. He drives all bad devils away. He comforts the children an hides them in his giant sleeves.
Jizo Bosatsu is the Japanese equivalent of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattwa. He is the patron deity and guardian of children and travelers. His statues are found everywhere in Japan.
