Boshi Jizo (Honda Koji Shokai)

Honda Koji Shokai presents the Boshi Jizo, a traditional Japanese figure standing approximately 110mm tall. This piece represents the Boshi-Jizo, a depiction of Jizo Bosatsu as a mother and child pair, rooted in centuries of Japanese Buddhist tradition. Jizo Bosatsu is revered as the guardian deity of children and travellers, and stone jizo statues are found throughout Japan, particularly along pilgrimage routes. The Boshi-Jizo specifically symbolizes the protective bond between mother and child. According to tradition, jizo also protects the spirits of children who have passed away, as it is believed they cannot cross the river to the afterlife and spend their days building stone towers. Travellers often pile small stones near jizo statues as an act of kindness to ease the children's burden. This figure brings the spiritual and cultural significance of the jizo tradition into a collectible format.