Sometimes the most powerful moments happen in the rain. Finding Fukoji's massive cliff-carved Buddha alone, with just the sound of raindrops hitting leaves, was one of those spine-tingling travel experiences you can't plan for. This isn't just another temple Buddha - we're talking about an 11.3-meter giant carved right into the cliff face, watching over the valley since the 1200s.

The fact that it's a Fudo-myoo (usually depicted as this fierce vanquisher of evil) makes it even more special that centuries of rain and weather have somehow softened its expression. It's like nature decided this guardian needed a gentler look. There's something poetic about how time and elements have literally reshaped this ancient protector.

Being there alone in the rain, just us and this colossal figure that's been silently watching over this spot for 800 years... that's the kind of moment that makes all the travel planning worth it. Some places just hit different when you're the only ones there, and this was definitely one of them.