Bizarre Statues in Pass

I’m not sure what that statue were, but it really caught my attention. On the way for other abandoned site, when we still were in the car, We saw something! It seemed like a Mexican style skull statue, standing on the mountain slope!

碓氷峠を車で走っていると、突然何かが視界に入ってきた！それは山の斜面に立っていて、一瞬メキシコ風のドクロに見えた！

– Hey! Matorokka! You saw a Mexican style skull right!? – I shouted!
「ちょ!!!今メキシコ系のドクロなかった？」
– Whaaaaat!?!? Mexican style skull!? – She puzzled!
「メ!!!メキシコ系！？何ですかそれは！？」

We didn’t understand what it was but returning in the car, We immediately understand that was a Daruma statue!! Yes! It was not a Mexican skull!! Why? Daruma is standing in that place?

引き返して確認してみると、それはメキシコ系ドクロでもなんでもなくダルマの像でした！何故・・・だるまがあんな場所に？

On the opposite side of the road, in front of the Daruma, It was a Frog statue! They were made very rough seems like in concrete.

すると道路を挟んで反対側には、カエルの像がいた！荒い作りで材質はコンクリートの像です。結構大きい！目立つ！

I have examined those statues, Frog statue it is called “Buji Ni Kaeru”. In Japan Meaning of Kaeru (蛙) is Frog! Also,、Kaeru (帰る) means “Return home safely” . So, the meaning of those standing statues wish to return safely for everyone. But, Haven’t been able to find out too much History about this Daruma.

調べてみると、カエルの名前は無事かえるというらしい。この峠を無事に帰ることができるよう祈りのために建てられたのでしょうか？ダルマの方は詳しい情報を見つけることができなかったので謎のままです。

Links
碓氷峠のドクロ , デイリーポータル
碓氷峠の「無事カエル」 , デイリーポータル