The Umeda area of Osaka City is a bustling labyrinth of transport hubs, shopping malls and office buildings, but folk traditions can be found even in such metropolitan districts. One izakaya-filled passageway off Umeda Station is named Jizō Yokochō, and sure enough, it is home to a small shrine dedicated to Jizō (Ksitigarbha), one of the most popular Buddhist entities in Japan. Though Ksitigarbha statues are pretty much ubiquitous, Umeda happens to be home to one facing north, a very rare specimen. In feng shui, north is often considered an…
