When in Nara be sure to stop by the cockroach memorial statue

Sono & Sons is a building maintenance company that also specializes in pest control. Their SEARCH (We Safeguard our Environment with Alpha Roach Control Helper) system promises to leave any roach intruding on the sanctity of your home dead as Dillinger.

Despite their cold efficiency as slaughtering cockroaches, Sono & Sons also owe them a debt of gratitude. After all, roaches played a large role in building the company. So out of respect, they commissioned a memorial statue for all the cockroaches who have succumbed to their poisons and filled the company’s bank account as a result. They spared no expense either because everyone online is agreeing that it’s one cool statue.

▼ “This is a cockroach memorial, called Gokiburi Tenzo, donated to a temple in Nara by a building maintenance company. It’s really cool and I want to go there next year.”

奈良県の寺にビルメンテ会社が寄進したゴキブリ供養像「護鬼佛理天」てのがあるらしく非常にかっこよいので来年あたり見に行きたいな… sonokousan.co.jp/gt/ https://t.co/FeIgpcx2RC
—
Ｔ長(J村さんの踏み台） (@jemibiozoms) October 28, 2015

Gokiburi Tenzo was created by Hiro Amano about 15 years ago. It shows a large roach which features steel and concrete. Four human-like arms and two legs emerge from it, powerful and defiant. It has a very H.R. Giger-likr vibe to it.

▼ “Gokiburi Tenzo is freaking cool!”

護鬼佛理天カッコ良過ぎか https://t.co/U355WFzzyx
—
ふと松さん (@deburu1467) October 30, 2015

Amano said he wanted to reverse roles and “make the city the parasite on the belly of the roach” instead.

▼ “Have you seen the Gokiburi Tenzo everyone is talking about? It’s cool!”

話題の護鬼佛理天見てきてるん。かっこいい！ https://t.co/CLnCjCCGf0
—
すにっと提督 (@SNIT5109) November 01, 2015

If you want to see Gokiburi Tenzo in person, it stands in Rinsen Temple on the bank of the Kitayama River in Shirakawa, Nara. It’s a tranquil location nestled deep in the mountains where the spirit of that roach I crushed with a phone book few months ago can hopefully find peace with its fate.

Location information
Gokiburi Tenzo – Rinsen Temple
護鬼佛理天 – 林泉寺
214-44 Shirakawa, Kamikitayama, Yoshino, Nara
奈良県吉野郡上北山村大字白川214-44

Source: Sono & Sons, Twitter via NetLab (Japanese)
Top Image: Sono & Sons