Jun 28, 2014 - 1 min read

Jokei Temple in Kanagawa

Home of some very special statues

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

Statues of monks holding an arm wrestling match

Small sweeper under the pale blue hydrangeas

The garden of Jokei-ji is green and beautiful

In June and July there are many hydrangeas in bloom

Statue of monk using a laptop. Perhaps he is making a temple homepage!

Statue of monk looking at address book and talking on a cell-phone

This monk is obviously a bookworm!

At first I thought this statue of a monk was holding a cell-phone, but perhaps it's a game

Statue of monk writing on a scroll. I love the expression on his face!

Statue of child monk cleaning a floor

Statue of monk eating noodles

Statue of monk taking a photo

Hooray for soccer monk!

Sliding wooden doors of the main hall

Pretty arrangement of orchids beside the steps

A photo of a cell-phone using monk statue seen on the internet piqued my curiosity, and led me to Jokei-ji in Kanagawa. In June the garden of this very pretty temple is full of hydrangea blooms. However the true charm of this temple is the many small statues of monks scattered around the garden. Moss and lichen give the statues a patina of age, but the monks are engaged in some very modern activities, like taking photos and using laptop computers. Also their faces and postures are so very human and lifelike. I can't help smiling every time I remember them!

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Cathy Cawood

By Cathy Cawood

Community writer

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