group of large tanuki figures. The tanuki, a sort of racoon-dog, is a trickster figure in Japanese folklore, known for his love of sake and his large testicles.

It's interesting that I've seen these figures at some Zen temples.

At haiku poet Mukai Kyorai's grave, noted for it's small (~40 cm high) gravestone.

The "haijin to" (haiku poets memorial) gorinto (five-stone monument) at Rakushisha, in Arishiyama, Kyoto.

It is a monument dedicated to all haiku poets of the past, present, and future.

The "gorinto" is a traditoal form often found in graveyards representing the five elements - in Japanee thinking, earth, water, fire, wind, and heaven/void.

Rakushisha, the reconstructed cottage of haiku poet Mukai Kyorai

Daruma figures at Horin-ji temple, also known as Daruma-dera.

The thing covered with slips of paper is an enormous - about 3 feet high - Daruma figurine.

I did not know that buttercups and dandelions grew in Japan.

I love that amidst the gardens, these are left alone.

In one of the gardens at Nijo castle; this little boy was more into the dandelions he could touch, than all the fancy planned botanical displays.

Good for him.

Koi (carp, giant goldfish) in the moat.

Note that is takes hard work, done largely by hand, to keep the gardens looking like this. They don't use riding mowers.