Six hundred years before anyone started carving those serene images of the Buddha we all know so well, followers worshipped his footprints. This pair is at the Kuhonbutsu temple.
For some reason, I just love the idea that the object of worship doesn’t represent the Buddha himself or the ultimate destination. It honors his way of getting there.
See: The World of Buddha Footprints
Please obtain the NARA footprint. It is the oldest in Japan, I think. That may be the King Asoka one that is spoken of by the Chinese monk c A. D. 600. That went to Korean, etc.
The soles of the Buddha in that temple is the same. The Mahayana tradition is not the same as the Theravada, but who cares? I think NO one knows how many copies there are today in Asia.