2019 Autumn Special Exhibition "Forms of Prayer: The World of Esoteric Buddhist Ritual Implements"

Mount Koya is a sacred place for Esoteric Shingon Buddhism. In Esoteric Buddhism, monks use Buddhist implements called "Esoteric Buddhist implements" when praying for people's wishes or when performing religious services for the deceased. These were originally weapons such as swords used in battle in ancient India, but were adopted as Esoteric Buddhist prayer implements and took on the form of today's Esoteric Buddhist implements.
Its main purpose is to cut away worldly desires and ward off evil spirits during religious services and devotions, and it has been incorporated into various Buddhist rituals.
Esoteric Buddhist ritual implements are usually placed on a ritual altar in front of the principal image inside the hall, but sometimes they are buried in the ground outdoors during ground-breaking ceremonies for buildings or construction work.
Additionally, there are many Buddhist statues and paintings that depict Buddhas holding esoteric Buddhist ritual implements, and there are also abstractions of the various Buddhas depicted in mandalas as esoteric Buddhist ritual implements.

This exhibition will introduce esoteric Buddhist ritual implements of various shapes used for prayer that are handed down at Kongobuji Temple and its sub-temples (sub-temples) on Mount Koya.