Tohno-no-sato is located on the prefectural border far from the center of Kyoto and the center of Nara.  From ancient times, it is said that a monk who was strongly influenced by Nanto Buddhism and who was reluctant to secularize Nara Buddhism built Sōan(a thatched cottage) as a place of tranquility and devoted himself to Nembutsu.  It is said that Sōan eventually transformed into a temple, and the tower heads lined up to form a “tower ridge,” which eventually became known as “Tohno”.  The road connecting Gansenji and Joruri-ji is called the “Stone Buddha Road,” and stone Buddhas such as “Warai Buddha,” “Ippon Fudo,” and “Buddha’s Head and Shoulder Buddha” appear one after another.  These stone Buddha statues are still gentle guides to the people who pass by.

京都の中心部からも奈良の中心部からも遠く離れた県境辺りに当尾の里(とうののさと)があります。古来、南都仏教の影響を色濃く受け、世俗化した奈良仏教を厭う僧侶が穏遁の地として草庵を結び、念仏に専心したと伝えられています。やがて草庵が寺院へと姿を変え、塔頭が並び「塔の尾根」ができ、いつしか「当尾」と呼ばれるようになったといわれます。岩船寺と浄瑠璃寺を結ぶ道は「石仏の道」と呼ばれ、「わらい仏」や「一願不動」「藪の中三尊磨崖仏」など、石仏たちが次々と姿を現します。道を行き交う人々を今も優しく見つめてくれる道しるべとしての石仏達です。