Eleven-headed Kannon of Shorin-ji temple on display at Nara National Museum

A special exhibition featuring the Eleven-headed Kannon Bosatsu (Ekadasamukha) standing statue of Shorinji temple (Nara Prefecture), a government-designated national treasure, is now running at the Nara National Museum located in the city of Nara.

Titled the “Sacred Treasures from Ancient Nara: The Eleven-Headed Kannon of Shorinji Temple,” the exhibition highlights the graceful standing statue (209 centimeters in height) from the Nara period (Tenpyo era, to be more specific) — said to be the magnum opus of Japanese Buddhist statues — along with more than 30 scrolls, sutras and other items.

The standing statue is usually kept in a glass case at the Shingon-school temple (founded in 712 CE) in Sakurai, Nara Pref. On this occasion, however, the temple has agreed to put it on display without any casings, thereby providing the visitors with a 360-degree view of the statue. Myoka Kuramoto, the chief priest of the temple, says this is the last time the statue will be put on display without the case.

“Amid the COVID-19 pandemic today, we would like for many people to (come visit the museum and) see the statue, which was installed during the Nara period in response to an epidemic,” she said.

The special exhibtion, which lasts until March 27, 2022, is held in conjunction with Nihonhaku (Japan Cultural Expo) and supported by the Tsumugu Project — a joint effort by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, Imperial Household Agency and national daily The Yomiuri Shimbun (Tokyo) to help preserve Japan’s cultural legacies.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun and other sources)

For ticket info & more:

• https://tsumugu.yomiuri.co.jp/shorinji2020/english.html