From the archive

A Sculpture of a Buddhist Deity Made From 20,000 Beetles

A Sculpture of a Buddhist Deity Made From 20,000 Beetles

Located roughly an hour north from central Tokyo is a fairly nondescript government building: Itakura Town Hall in Gifu prefecture. The building houses a small gallery that counts among its collections various obscure pottery work and paintings as well as a glass-enclosed sculpture of a Buddhist deity made from roughly 20,000 beetles in numerous varieties.

Discussion

Tanuki #12963
Buddhism advises against killing animals; traditional Buddhist sects, like thos in Thailand and Myanmar, might find this unacceptable. But Japanese Buddhists sects are newer and are more open to things like these.