Sculpture
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![Image of "The Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva Kannon, Nanbokuchō period, 14th century [On exhibit through April 24, 2022]"](https://www.tnm.jp/uploads/r_exhibition/exhibition/DEFAULT_6642.jpg)
The Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva Kannon, Nanbokuchō period, 14th century [On exhibit through April 24, 2022]
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 11
February 1, 2022 (Tue) - May 8, 2022 (Sun)Japan has three main traditions of sculpture: Buddhist deities, Shinto deities, and portraits of people. Buddhism was introduced to Japan from the Korean Peninsula in the 6th century, together with sculptures of Buddhist deities. These sculptures were made primarily for worship. Making a sculpture was also an “act of spiritual merit” that would help one’s prayers to be answered.
In contrast, Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan. Since ancient times, people believed that Shinto deities dwell in natural features like mountains and rivers, and rarely depicted them as humanlike sculptures. Even when a Shinto shrine had a sculpture for worship, the priests usually kept it hidden from view out of respect.
Some portrait sculptures were also worshipped, as they showed deified monks or samurai. Others were made to remember the dead and pray for their salvation. This gallery features works mainly from the Heian (794–1192) and Kamakura (1192–1333) periods, when many of Japan’s most admired sculptures were created.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Male Deity | Heian period, 11th century | Lent by Daishōgunhachi Shrine, Kyoto | On exhibit through February 27, 2022 | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | The Bodhisattva Nyoirin Kannon | Heian period, 11th century | Lent by Saidaiji Temple, Nara | On exhibit through February 27, 2022 | ||
| Highlight | The Wisdom King Fudō | Heian period, 11th century | Gift of Mr. Okano Tetsusaku, C-1851 | On exhibit through February 27, 2022 | |||
| The Buddha Yakushi | Nara period, 8th century | C-318 | On exhibit through April 24, 2022 | ||||
| Important Cultural Property | The Buddha Dainichi | Heian period, 11th–12th century | C-311 | On exhibit through April 24, 2022 | |||
| Highlight | The Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva Kannon | Nanbokuchō period, 14th century | C-306 | On exhibit through April 24, 2022 |