The Five Hundred Disciples of Buddha are a large group of stone Buddha statues on the Unganzenji Temple grounds, located at the base of Mt. Kinpo in the western part of Kumamoto City. Also located within the Unganzenji Temple grounds is Reigando Cave, the cave where Miyamoto Musashi wrote his famous "The Book of Five Rings". The Five Hundred Disciples of Buddha were supposedly donated over a period of 24 years by a merchant in Kumamoto named Fuchidaya Gihei. The postures and expressions are unique for each statue, all of which lined up row upon row along the mountainside lend the area a truly surreal and mysterious atmosphere.