Jizo statues at the Zojo-ji temple in Tokyo.
Mizuko kuyo (水 子 供養, Mizuko kuyō, "memorial service for an aborted fetus") is a Japanese ceremony for women who have suffered a spontaneous abortion, induced abortion or stillbirth. This practice is more evident since the creation of sanctuaries in the 1970s for such a ritual, with the purpose of the tranquility of the pregnant woman, resting the soul of the fetus and avoiding the revenge of the spirit of the baby. Originally the mizuko kuyo was used to offer to Jizo (Ksitigarbha), a supposed Bodhisattva protector of children. During the Edo Period, when a pregnant woman was pushed to commit an abortion or infanticide because of her poverty, the practice was adapted to satisfy the situation. Today, the practice of mizuko kuyo continues in Japan, although its historical authenticity in the practices of Buddhism in Japan is not clear. The ceremony varies between temples, schools and individuals. It is common in Buddhist temples for the purpose to offer Jizo statuettes dressed along the aisles. Some of these services have been criticized for taking advantage of and abusing the beliefs that the Japanese have about the possible revenge of the spirits of aborted babies. Bibliography
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