noun
Ksitigarbha statue for miscarried or aborted fetuses
A Jizō (Ksitigarbha) statue specifically dedicated to the souls of miscarried, stillborn, or aborted children, often seen at temples in Japan.
See also: 地蔵
お寺の境内に水子地蔵が祀られていた。
A Mizuko Jizō statue was enshrined in the temple grounds.
地蔵 is the general term for Ksitigarbha (Jizō) statues, while 水子地蔵 specifically refers to those dedicated to the souls of unborn children.
Compound of 水子 (mizuko, 'water child', a term for a miscarried or aborted fetus) and 地蔵 (Jizō, Ksitigarbha bodhisattva).