Rakan-ji is a small Buddhist temple in the Omori valley with an extraordinary secret in the rock behind it. Cut into the cliff are three caves, and inside them sit about five hundred stone figures, the Gohyakurakan, the five hundred disciples of the Buddha, each carved from the soft local tuff and each with a different face. Some laugh, some frown, some seem to be talking to their neighbours, and some are asleep. They were made in the eighteenth century, over a few decades, by a master carver and his helpers, and they were commissioned to console the spirits of the miners who died in the silver workings.
The mine was a deadly place. Digging in the tunnels filled the lungs with fine dust, and many miners died young, and the people of the valley responded with religious devotion. A pilgrim's tradition says you will find a figure with the face of someone you have lost, and the visitors who walk slowly through the caves, searching the faces, are rarely noisy. A stone bridge over the stream leads to the temple, and the setting among cedar trees is quiet and cool.
Getting there takes some effort, but it is worth it. The road into the valley from Oda is narrow and shaded, with a few tight bends, and the final approach is on foot from the visitor parking area, over uneven stone paths. The temple is open at limited times and there is a small entrance fee, so check beforehand. Moss makes the stones slippery in wet weather, and the caves are damp, so wear shoes with good grip.
Fuel is available in Oda, around eleven kilometres away, and there is little in the valley, so fill before you ride in. Spring is gentle, with fresh leaves, and autumn colours the hillsides, but even on a grey, wet day the temple has a special atmosphere. The silence here is its own reward, and a few minutes spent among the figures leaves a lasting impression. Allow a leisurely hour on the site.