Sekihoji Temple

South of Fushimi Inari Taisha, Sekihoji is a Zen temple known for its stone figures. The five hundred rakan and other images standing in the bamboo grove behind the main hall are said to have been carved by stonemasons over more than a decade, from the middle of the An'ei era into the beginning of Tenmei, working from drawings by the Kyoto painter Ito Jakuchu. They lay out the life of the Buddha from birth to nirvana, and the effect is remarkable — especially set against autumn colour. On 10 September the temple holds a memorial service for Jakuchu and puts his hanging scrolls on public display.