monk kuuya
空也 (Kuuya)
A famous Buddhist monk of the Heian Period. He was called 空也上人 (Kuuya Shounin, Saint Kuuya).
His wooden statues are characterized by six small Amida figures flowing out of his mouth. They represent his devotional chants of the six-character mantra, "Na-Mu-A-Mi-Da-Butsu."
Sowaka-chan's sidekick, Kuuyan is a parody of Kuuya.
