[Mount Akagi, Saifukuji Temple] Beautiful sculptures by Ishikawa Uncho, the Michelangelo of Echigo

Saifukuji Temple, a temple of the Soto sect, is a Niigata Prefecture cultural property that is home to a group of magnificent, intricate, and gorgeous sculptures by Ishikawa Uncho, a master craftsman from the end of the Edo period. Of particular note are the thatched double roof of the Kaisan-do Hall and the carvings on the ceiling inside, which have an overwhelming presence. Uncho's delicate carving technique, which covers everything from the expressions of animals to the veins of leaves on plants, is at a level that can be called divine, and the majestic colors of the "Dougen Zenji Subjugating a Fierce Tiger" painting inside the Kaisan-do Hall retain their original beauty, and the more you carefully observe the details, the more you will discover new things. This is truly a temple worthy of being called a cultural heritage, with Uncho's works forming a unified structure throughout the temple and shrine, and its overwhelming technique and narrative nature make it a highly recommended temple that boasts a spectacular scale and beauty that has earned it the nickname "Echigo Nikko."