The jizo statues at Hase-dera in Kamakura. Kamakura was the capital of Japan from 1185-1333. It is not unlike Kyoto or Nara (both capitals as well) with lots of temples and shrines. I visited only visited Kamakura to see Hase-dera's jizo hall. I explained a little about jizo statues in this entry. In a nutshell, jizo statues are placed in certain Buddhist temples by women and couples, to represent an aborted fetus. Abortion is legal and widely practiced in Japan. (My reserach focuses on abortion in Japan)
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