Oshare Jizō (おしゃれ地蔵)

Oshare Jizo (おしゃれ地蔵)

Oshare Jizo (おしゃれ地蔵) is a small pair of statues located along Kanagawa Prefectural Route 44 in the Hatori District of Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Although referred to as Jizo (地蔵), these statues are actually Dosojin (道祖神)—guardian deities of travelers, relationships, and communities.

According to local tradition, they grant any wish made by women.  As a token of gratitude, those whose wishes come true apply oshiroi (traditional white face powder) to the statues' faces.  Over time, this custom has given them a makeup-like appearance, which led people to call them "Oshare Jizo"—where oshare (おしゃれ) means "stylish" in Japanese.