Memorial Service for Untended Souls Held at Kyoto Temple; Around 8,000 Stone Buddhas Illuminated with Candles

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:16 JST, August 25, 2024

KYOTO — About 8,000 stone Buddha statues and small pagodas were illuminated by candlelight during a memorial service for untended souls at the Adashino Nenbutsuji temple in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, on Saturday.

The Adashino area is known as a place where bodies were left exposed to the elements for disposal during the Heian period (794-late 12th century).

The memorial service is thought to have begun in the Meiji era (1868-1912). Local residents brought stone Buddha statues and pagodas, which had been left unclaimed over many years, into the temple grounds and prayed. The illuminated stones created a fantastic atmosphere in front of the main hall of the temple. The service was also held on Sunday.