Faced with a weathered stone monument you might ask what stories lie hidden here at Koppa Jizo. This is Koppa Jizo in Funabashi City. It stands as a testament to compassion. It also embodies the enduring spirit of the local community.
Koppa Jizo and Yurugi Jizo are two Jizo statues in Funabashi. These statues are not just mere sculptures. They are designated cultural properties of Funabashi City. Jizo embodies great compassion. It embraces people’s sufferings. It also saves them from their pain.
The story of Koppa Jizo starts with a giant pine tree. This tree called Yurugi no Matsu once stood tall. Its branches covered the valley. The tree swayed when people passed. Yurugi means to sway. Sadly the Yurugi no Matsu withered. The villagers asked Kanshin to carve Jizo statues from the dead tree. Kanshin was a wood-eating monk. He only ate nuts and grass.
From that pine tree Kanshin created two Jizo statues. One became the large Yurugi Jizo. The other became the smaller Koppa Jizo. Koppa means a trivial thing. Koppa Jizo resides in Kodoan. Kanshin opened this place. Kanshin’s tomb is also located here. It is a designated historic site. Koppa Jizo is an attachment to that site. Yurugi Jizo was built in 1723.
These Jizo statues are part of the Yoshihashigumi Daishiko 88 Places Pilgrimage. Yurugi Jizo is the 35th stop. Koppa Jizo is the 41st stop.
The locals take good care of Koppa Jizo. You can see sacred sake in front of the temple. The temple is on a bank of soil. It is about 1.5 meters high. Climb the stone steps to see Jizo.
While Yurugi Jizo stands tall at 172 cm Koppa Jizo is smaller. Kanshin likely carved both from a single pine tree. The creation of these statues may have involved other sculptors. Kanshin opened Koutouan. It is now Yakuendai in Funabashi City. Records suggest he made the Jizo Bodhisattva statue there.
As you stand before Koppa Jizo remember its origins. Remember the Yurugi no Matsu. Recall the dedication of Kanshin. Reflect on the compassion of Jizo. This small statue embodies a large story. It connects the past to the present. It also offers solace to those in need.