Village Where You Can Meet Statues (ふれあい石像の里, Fureai Sekibutsu no Sato) is located in Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan, about 18 km south of the city. The site was built in 1989 by Mutsuo Furukawa, a local businessman. He wanted to build a space where people could relax and meditate in a natural setting.[1] To fulfil this wish, Furukawa commissioned Chinese master artist Lu Jinqiao to create more than 800 sculptures. As these heavy sculptures could not be flown in in large numbers, they were delivered via the Jinzu River.[2] Some of the sculptures resemble people Furukawa knew in life; friends, family, colleagues and employees. Others are representations of Chinese and Japanese folklore, zodiac animals, historical figures and Buddhist icons.
| Village Where You Can Meet Statues | |
|---|---|
| ふれあい石像の里 | |
 | |
| Location | Toyama Prefecture, Japan |
| Nearest city | Toyama |
| Coordinates | 36°32′40″N 137°13′53.5″E / 36.54444°N 137.231528°E |
| Established | 1989 |
| Status | opened |
Furukawa reportedly spent over ¥6 billion building the park.[3] After he died in 2012 the park fell into neglect.[4] The place was later rediscovered by a Japanese photographer and has since become a somewhat popular tourist attraction.[1][5] The park is currently run and maintained by volunteers.
References
edit- ^ a b "カメラ探訪". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd. January 18, 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ Wilcher, Rowan (2021) [1-1-2019]. "Over Invalshoeken en Boeken". Verschuivend Vergezicht: Non-Fictie & Co. Eikvos-Kennisreeks. Uitgeverij Oaklife. ISBN 978-90-831980-0-2. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
- ^ Kuroki, Takahiro (September 16, 2013). "山の斜面に「普通の人」石像400体 知る人ぞ知る富山の珍スポット「ふれあい石像の里」が色々おかしい". Netorabo. ITmedia, Inc. p. Japanese. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Scary Places in Japan - Toyama's Hidden Villages of Statues". JAPAN Forward. January 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
- ^ "Pictures of the Day: 24 December 2018". The Telegraph. December 24, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
External links
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