Otagi Nenbutsu-ji

Tucked into the hills beyond Arashiyama, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji is a small temple famous for more than a thousand moss-covered stone statues of rakan, the disciples of the Buddha. Carved by amateur sculptors during a restoration campaign in the 1980s and 1990s, each figure has a distinct expression, some laughing, praying, or striking playful poses. The whimsical, weathered ranks climb the wooded slope in an atmosphere quite unlike Kyoto's grander temples. Its out-of-the-way setting keeps crowds thin for those who make the uphill walk.