The ojizo only wants to ease our suffering, and for that he gets tied up in ropes, doused in oil, and his head lopped off. Episode 27 of Uncanny Japan talks a little more about the ojizo statue, bringing to light some of the curious, unique, and bizarre manifestations of this beneficent deity.
Credits
Intro and outro music by Julyan Ray Matsuura
I immediately thought of the similarity of the bound ojizo and daruma! I wonder, though, if there is a really cryptic reference to the origin? For example, the age reference of something which is said to possess a spirit means 99 hair, or, of sufficient age to have grey hair; that of a 99 year old person. Gyah! Its a rabbit hole of translation! I don’t know how you do it but I am certainly glad you can!
William, yes, it’s so much fun. I wish I could spend so many more hours a day and days a week working on these.