Jizō Statue

The Jizo Statue is an object in the film My Neighbor Totoro directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. Not to be confused with the Dosojin Statue from Spirited Away. The statues portrayed monks (jap. 地蔵).

Plot
When Mei and Satsuki are caught in the rain on the way home from school, they stop by this statue to wait for the rain to subdue. Kanta passes by with an umbrella, and gives it to Mei and Satsuki before running off in the rain to stop Satsuki from refusing to take it.

Near the end of the film, Mei goes to the Shichikokuyama Hospital. She sat on the ground. Behind her, there are Jizo statues that are also called Rokujizo.

Purpose
The statues with the look of are widely known in Asia. Jizo statues protect dead spirit on their way to the. In some tale is also mention that jizo statues can dead people back from the underworld. Yiu usually find them on graveyards.

Mizuko
Mizuko (jap. 水子, eng. Sea Spirit) are Jizo statues to protect the dead spirits of children, especially children who died at birth or get aborted.