Spring Special Exhibition "Children and Buddhas"

In Japan, since the Middle Ages, children have been thought to have sacred powers as beings that mediate between the sacred and the secular, and faith in child-shaped gods and Buddhas and the childhood appearances of saints became popular. Various episodes from the birth and childhood of Kobo Daishi Kukai, who founded Mount Koya, are compiled and passed down in picture scrolls and other media, and statues of the child Daishi that depict him as a child are also popular.
Additionally, children are often placed as attendants to the principal image, and the National Treasure Eight Great Standing Children are realistic depictions of the eight children who serve Acala, and are widely known as a group of sculptures representative of Mount Koya, or perhaps of the Kamakura period.

This special exhibition, entitled "Douji and Buddha," will focus on "Douji" (children) among the treasures handed down at Mount Koya, including Buddhas in the form of child children, attendant children, and Buddhas who protect children, and will display a total of 25 items (27 pieces), including 2 national treasures and 11 important cultural properties. Note that only two of the Eight Great Douji standing statues, Eko Douji and Shitoku Douji, will be on display.

We hope that through the sometimes stern and sometimes adorable figures of these children, you will become familiar with Buddhist art and esoteric art.

*Permanent exhibition "Art of Esoteric Buddhism" held at the same time