Yono: The Thirteen Buddhas of Yono in One Stone Buddhist Image
This multi-deity stone Buddhist image has a shape similar to the depiction of the Thirteen Buddhas who pray for the next world and the Buddha's divine protection.
The Thirteen Buddhas are carvings of the thirteen Buddhist deities who lead to the next world, but the temple practitioners carved this multi-deity stone Buddhist image so that it enshrines three deities on the upper row while those on the bottom row look like Jizo, the guardian of children.
That's where the difference is.
The Thirteen Buddhas of Yono make up a multi-deity stone Buddhist image made by temple practitioners who carved 17 Jizo forms on both the front and back.
Incidentally, in the year 1564 when the Thirteen Buddhas of Yono were carved Tomoteru Takayama (also known as Hidanokami) was baptized along with his family and 150 vassals. Later multi-deity stone Buddhist images were also carved in the year when Hidanokami became the lord of Takatsuki Castle.
In 1580, the final year of carving, Ukon Takayama's territory as the lord of Takatsuki Castle increased by 20,000 koku of land received from Hokusetsu.
These are multi-deity stone Buddhist images thought to be related to conversion to Christianity.
