Nemuri Ikkyu-san, Japanese Stone Buddhist Monk Statue

Stone statues of Buddhist monks, Sōryo Ishizō (僧侶石像) in Japanese, can be found at practically every temple throughout Japan. Just like real monks, these statues bring a certain spirituality to the location where they stand.

This particular monk statue is known as Nemuri Ikkyū-san (眠り一休さん), and depicts a sleeping monk of Zen Buddhism named Ikkyū Sōjun, a very well-known and beloved figure in Japanese history. Besides being a monk, he was also a poet and had a great impact on the fusion of Japanese art and literature with the Zen culture, including breaking Buddhist rules regarding the celibacy of the monks.