How did one small Japanese town get tourists to bug out over a giant cockroach statue?

A giant bronze cockroach statue stands outside Rinsenji Temple in Kamikitayama, Japan. The five-foot-tall statue, named Gokiburiten, was built by Osaka-based pest control firm Sono over 25 years ago as a memorial to the spirits of pests they had killed. Sculptor Hiroo Amano designed the statue, drawing inspiration from Kabuki theater and ring-entering ceremonies. Amano embedded a miniature human city inside the cockroach's abdomen, suggesting humans can be parasites too. The statue has become a popular tourist attraction in the quiet mountain village of Kamikitayama.