On the edge of Naramachi stands a small temple called Jūrin-in. Inside its main hall rests a rare stone shrine chamber from the Kamakura period, known as the sekibutsugan — carved directly into a single block of rock.

At its center, Jizō Bosatsu is carved in relief, surrounded by the Ten Kings of the underworld, the Four Heavenly Kings, and smaller, unnamed figures packed close together without a gap. Each face, each size, is entirely different. Some remain sharp and clear; others have worn soft and indistinct with the passing centuries.

And yet, taking in the chamber as a whole, it seemed that if even one figure were missing, this quiet, dense presence would be lost. Prominent or barely visible, large or small — every figure appeared simply meant to be there.