After we bought the book that we will collect the temple stamps and calligraphy in (I will post a picture of it when I have time to take one), we started out but down the road, rather than the pedestrian path. This is the gate as seen from the temple grounds as we left.
This little statue was in the corner of a temple parking lot. It is Daruma, a monk who sat facing a wall for so long that his legs fell off. In Japan the statues of Daruma usually have only one eye that contains a pupil. People make a wish and, if it comes true, they paint in the other eye. This Daruma has both eyes because it is part of the temple.
This is a statue of Kannon that was near the entrance. The little statues are children who have been saved or protected by Kannon. They may represent children who have died and who have been dedicated to Kannon. The second picture shows one of these statues (you can just see it in the bottom row on the right) on which someone has placed clothing.
This shows that the clothing is a child's hooded coat. I assume that the parents have put it on the statue so that they child will not be cold and will know that he or she has not been forgotten.
As we passed out of the temple area, we found these statues. I have now idea who they might represent.
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