Historic Stone Buddha Returns to Fukui After 130 Years
A historic stone Buddha statue, originally carried by Meiji-era immigrants from Fukui to Hokkaido in 1895, has returned to its hometown after 130 years. The Seated Bodhisattva Sho Kannon was enshrined at Hakusan Shrine in Teshio until depopulation led to the shrine's abandonment and the artifact's disappearance. Following an investigation by Fukui Prefecture, the statue was recovered and repatriated. It is now on public display at the Fukui Prefectural Children's History and Culture Museum, symbolizing the enduring cultural heritage and spiritual connection of Japanese internal migration history.
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Stone Buddha Returns to Fukui from Hokkaido After 130 Years
A historic stone Buddha statue, originally brought from Fukui to Hokkaido by immigrants in 1895, has returned to its hometown for the first time in approximately 130 years. The statue, identified as the Seated Bodhisattva Sho Kannon, is currently on display at the Fukui Prefectural Children's History and Culture Museum starting April 25, 2026. Crafted from Shakudani stone, the artifact measures 37 cm in height and was carried by residents of Kamiusaka Village (now part of Fukui City) during their migration to Teshio Village in Hokkaido. Upon arrival, the immigrants enshrined the statue at Hakusan Shrine, which became known as the northernmost shrine in Japan and served as a spiritual anchor for the community. However, due to severe depopulation in the region, the shrine was eventually abandoned, and the statue's whereabouts were temporarily lost. Following an investigation by Fukui Prefecture, the artifact was recovered and repatriated. This event highlights the cultural heritage of Meiji-era migration and the enduring connection between the immigrants' origins and their new settlements, offering a rare glimpse into the personal histories of those who shaped Hokkaido's development.
asahiStone Buddha Returns to Fukui from Hokkaido After 130 Years
A historic stone Buddha statue, originally brought from Fukui to Hokkaido by immigrants in 1895, has returned to its hometown for the first time in approximately 130 years. The statue, identified as the Seated Bodhisattva Sho Kannon, is currently on display at the Fukui Prefectural Children's History and Culture Museum starting April 25, 2026. Crafted from Shakudani stone, the artifact was carried by residents of Kamiusaka Village (now part of Fukui City) when they migrated to Teshio Village in Hokkaido during the Meiji era. In their new settlement, the immigrants enshrined the statue at Hakusan Shrine, which became known as the northernmost shrine in Japan and served as a spiritual anchor for the community. However, due to subsequent depopulation in the region, the shrine was eventually abandoned, and the statue's whereabouts were temporarily lost. Following an investigation by Fukui Prefecture, the artifact was recovered and repatriated. This event highlights the cultural heritage of Japanese internal migration and the enduring connection between displaced communities and their places of origin, offering a rare glimpse into the personal histories of Meiji-era settlers.
asahiStone Buddha Returns to Fukui from Hokkaido After 130 Years
A historic stone Buddha statue, originally brought from Fukui to Hokkaido by immigrants in 1895, has returned to its hometown for the first time in approximately 130 years. The statue, identified as the Seated Bodhisattva Sho Kannon, is currently on public display at the Fukui Prefectural Children's History and Culture Museum starting April 25, 2026. Crafted from Shakudani stone, the artifact measures 37 cm in height and was originally enshrined at Hakusan Shrine in Teshio Town, Hokkaido, which settlers from Kamiusaka Village established as a spiritual anchor in their new home. For generations, the shrine served as a symbol of community identity, but it was eventually abandoned due to severe depopulation in the region, leading to a period where the statue's whereabouts were unknown. Following an investigation by Fukui Prefecture, the statue was recovered and repatriated. This event highlights the cultural heritage of Meiji-era migration and the enduring emotional ties between displaced communities and their origins. The return marks a significant moment for local history preservation, allowing current residents to reconnect with the artifacts carried by their ancestors during the challenging settlement of northern Japan.
asahiStone Buddha Returns to Fukui from Hokkaido After 130 Years
A historic stone Buddha statue, originally brought to Hokkaido by immigrants from Fukui City in 1895, has returned to its hometown for the first time in approximately 130 years. The statue, identified as the Seated Bodhisattva Sho Kannon, is currently on display at the Fukui Prefectural Children's History and Culture Museum starting April 25, 2026. Crafted from Shakudani stone, the artifact was carried by residents of Kamiusaka Village (now part of Fukui City) when they migrated to Teshio Village in Hokkaido during the Meiji era. It was enshrined at Hakusan Shrine, which became a spiritual anchor for the community and is noted as the northernmost shrine in Japan. Due to subsequent depopulation in the region, the shrine was abandoned, and the statue's whereabouts were temporarily lost until recent investigations by Fukui Prefecture located it. This reunion highlights the cultural heritage and migratory history of Japanese settlers, offering a tangible link between the ancestral home in Fukui and the frontier settlements in Hokkaido. The exhibition allows the public to view this significant piece of local history, symbolizing the enduring connection between the immigrants and their place of origin.
asahiStone Buddha Returns to Fukui from Hokkaido After 130 Years
A historic stone Buddha statue, originally brought from Fukui to Hokkaido by immigrants in 1895, has returned to its hometown for the first time in approximately 130 years. The statue, identified as the Seated Bodhisattva Sho Kannon, is currently on display at the Fukui Prefectural Children's History and Culture Museum starting April 25, 2026. Crafted from Shakudani stone, the artifact was carried by residents of Kamiusaka Village (now part of Fukui City) during their migration to Teshio Village in Hokkaido. There, it was enshrined at Hakusan Shrine, which served as a spiritual anchor for the community. However, due to severe depopulation in the region, the shrine was eventually abandoned, and the statue's whereabouts became unknown for a period. Following an investigation by Fukui Prefecture, the statue was recovered and repatriated. This event highlights the cultural heritage of Meiji-era migration and the enduring connection between displaced communities and their origins. The return marks a significant moment for local history preservation, allowing the public to view this tangible link to the past that survived over a century of displacement and neglect.
asahiStone Buddha Returns to Fukui from Hokkaido After 130 Years
A historic stone Buddha statue, originally brought from Fukui to Hokkaido by immigrants in 1895, has returned to its hometown for the first time in approximately 130 years. The statue, identified as the Seated Bodhisattva Sho Kannon, is currently on public display at the Fukui Prefectural Children's History and Culture Museum starting April 25, 2026. Crafted from Shakudani stone, the artifact was carried by residents of Kamiusaka Village (now part of Fukui City) during their migration to Teshio Town in Hokkaido. There, it was enshrined at Hakusan Shrine, which served as a spiritual anchor for the community. However, due to severe depopulation in the region, the shrine was eventually abandoned, and the statue's whereabouts became uncertain until recent investigations by Fukui Prefecture located it. This reunion highlights the cultural heritage of Meiji-era migration and the enduring connection between the immigrants' origins and their new settlements. The event marks a significant moment for local history preservation, allowing the public to view this tangible link to the past that survived decades of uncertainty and geographic separation.
asahiStone Buddha Returns to Fukui from Hokkaido After 130 Years
A historic stone Buddha statue, originally brought from Fukui to Hokkaido by immigrants in 1895, has returned to its hometown for the first time in approximately 130 years. The statue, identified as the Seated Bodhisattva Sho Kannon, is currently on public display at the Fukui Prefectural Children's History and Culture Museum starting April 25, 2026. Crafted from Shakudani stone, the artifact was carried by residents of Kamiusaka Village (now part of Fukui City) during their migration to Teshio Village in Hokkaido. There, it was enshrined at Hakusan Shrine, which served as a spiritual anchor for the community. However, due to subsequent depopulation in the region, the shrine was abandoned, and the statue's whereabouts became uncertain until recent investigations by Fukui Prefecture located it. This reunion highlights the cultural heritage and migratory history of the Meiji era, offering a tangible link between the ancestral home in Fukui and the settlement history in Hokkaido. The event marks a significant cultural restoration, allowing the public to view this symbol of immigrant resilience and religious devotion that survived over a century of displacement and uncertainty.
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