Otagi Nenbutsuji
愛宕念仏寺

Otagi Nenbutsuji is a tucked away in the northern hills of the Arashiyama district, originally founded in 766 by imperial order. It is over 1,250 years old, but it has a history of incredibly bad luck. First built in the Higashiyama area near Gion, it was repeatedly destroyed over the centuries by river floods, typhoons, and civil wars. To save the few remaining structures, the temple was finally dismantled and moved to its current hillside location in 1922.

The main standout feature of the temple is the collection of 1,200 stone rakan statues representing disciples of Buddha that cover the mossy hillsides. Because they were carved by everyday people, no two statues are alike. The priest encouraged creativity over strict tradition.