Who Stole 11 Buddhist Statues From a Gifu Temple?

Jul 06, 2026 | News On Japan

GIFU - A temple in Yamagata, Gifu Prefecture, reported the theft of 11 Buddhist statues and other items on the morning of July 6, prompting police to investigate the case as a burglary.

The theft was reported shortly after 7 a.m. by the 42-year-old chief priest of Dosenji Temple in Takatomi, Yamagata, who called emergency services and said, "The Buddhist statues inside the main hall have been stolen."

According to police and other officials, the missing items include one Jizo Bodhisattva statue measuring about 25 centimeters in height, 10 statues of the Ten Kings measuring about 15 centimeters each, and a wooden mirror.

The statues had been enshrined in the temple's main hall, which is usually left open during the day and locked at around 9 p.m. The priest noticed the statues were missing when he came to the main hall in the morning to replace offerings.

Police are investigating the incident as a theft.

Source: CBC

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