Tucked into the far western hills of Arashiyama, this small Buddhist temple is home to over 1,200 moss-covered stone rakan figures, each hand-carved with a unique and often whimsical expression. The statues line the hillside paths in dense clusters, giving you endless opportunities to isolate individual faces or capture wide compositions showing the sheer volume of figures disappearing into the forested slope. A 50mm or short telephoto lens works well for pulling individual characters out of the crowd, while a wider lens lets you convey the scale and layered depth of the scene. Overcast days are ideal here, as soft diffused light eliminates harsh shadows and brings out the texture of the weathered stone and green moss. The temple sits at the end of Sagano's quiet walking trail, so arriving early in the morning keeps crowds thin and gives you unhurried access to every angle. (Kyoto, Kansai, Japan)
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