They include Fujin (god of wind) and Raijin (god of thunder); a pair of guardians of Buddha named Agyo and Ungyo; and Shitenno (four heavenly kings) called Zochoten, Jikokuten, Tamonten and Komokuten.

Through those efforts, they rebuilt the fierce-looking 2.5-meter-tall “agyo” statue with its mouth open and its companion, the closed-mouth “ungyo” statue. The Nio statues are now on ...