This is the short film I put together from our visit to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple (愛宕念仏寺) the other day in the hills of Arashiyama, where I found myself surrounded by one of Kyoto’s most unusual sights – 1,200 hand-carved rakan statues, each with its own quirky, expressive face.

The statues were created in the 1980s by amateur carvers under the guidance of priest-sculptor Kocho Nishimura, as a way to restore life and spirit to a temple originally founded in the 8th century.

Filming there was a creative challenge. The place was packed with visitors, and finding angles that captured the statues’ charm without revealing the crowds required patience, timing and plenty of improvisation. Still, the atmosphere – equal parts playful, serene, and faintly eerie – made every shot worth the effort.

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple is just one of many Kyoto experiences that stay with you long after you leave. The film clips were all shot handheld using my trusty old iPhone 14 Pro Max