Art is an important byproduct of any religion or culture, and Buddhism is no exception. From sculptures of the Buddha for worship to paintings that show a sects image of heaven to Jizo rocks that line a hike, all these become part of the ritual and identity of those who are Buddhist in Japan. Buddhism is a religion with many artifacts, and so to understand what makes Japan’s sects unique, one must appreciate and understand the difference in these artifacts.
While much can be learned and observed from going to Japan’s multitude of Buddhist temples, museums that focus on Buddhist art also have much to offer. At temples people can see Buddhist statues, mandalas, and paintings in their original context, which allows a visitor to appreciate their place in ceremonies and as part of active service. However, temples can be hard to get to and hard to walk around with the elderly or children. Additionally, some can offer little context to their history; visitors unfamiliar with Buddhist art may be losing out on the symbolism and unique characteristics of a temple piece.
Museums are wonderful resources for a traveler who wants to learn a lot during a short stay in Japan. They are able to compile a lot of artifacts in one place, spanning many centuries. Museums are able to preserve pieces in controlled conditions, and may hire professionals to restore and upkeep the piece. And, most beneficial to foreign travelers, they are more likely to have foreign language resources such as brochures and captions for artifacts on display.
Nara National Museum
ACCESS
Website: https://www.narahaku.go.jp/english/
Hours: 9:30 – 17:00
9:30 – 20:00 Saturdays
Cost:
Adults: 700 yen
University Students: 350 yen
Seniors & Children: Free
Address: 50 Noboriōji-chō, Nara 630-8213 Japan
Closest Stops:
Train: Kintetsu-Nara Station
Bus Stop: Himuro Shrine/National Museum Stop
The Nara National Museum is a gallery of Buddhist sculpture across the street from the well known Todai-ji complex and Nara Park. Containing examples of over one thousand years of Buddhist sculpture, this place is surely worth the visit if you’re in Nara.
The museum has detailed captions about the sculptures in 4 languages (Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean), including tree species, time period, original temples, and interpretations of the symbols carved. There are also audio guides available in English, Mandarin, and Korean. Since some of the pieces are not originally from Japan, there are also brief descriptions of how and when they arrived in Japan.
Each room is organized towards an important concept in Buddhism, and allows one to see how representations of deities or sutras have changed over time. For instance, the Kannon room has statues of similar size, ranging from the early 7th century to the 13th. Different sects of Buddhism also represent Kannon differently, and one of the benefits of seeing these statues side by side is getting to read and understand the symbolism used and what it says about that time period of Buddhism in Japan.
Additionally, the museum holds unique Buddhist pieces that are not often found at temples – such as portable shrines from Central Asia. Such shrines were used while traveling for personal prayer and show the historical movement of Buddhism through Asia. These shrines may be some of the earliest Buddhist artifacts to reach Japan and have likely influenced the early Japanese depictions of Buddha.
Furthermore, this museum has two very large and domineering statues on loan – the Kongo Rikishi of Kinpusen-ji Temple. Brought to the museum while the temple gate is under restoration, these 14th century giants were done by the Buddhist master Kojo, and are the second biggest Kongo Rikishi after the ones installed at Todai-ji’s Nandai-mon. The benefit to seeing them in the museum is the proximity you gain as a viewer, since at temples they are usually behind screens to protect them from people and the natural elements. However, seeing them in the grandiose hall allows one to feel their massive presence, and appreciate the age and artistry of these pieces.
On the lower floor there is a learning area, gift shop, and cafe. In the learning area there are a few exhibitions on traditional sculpture techniques. Here, there are descriptions and diagrams showing the differences between Ichiboku zukuri (solid woodblock) and Yosegi zukuri (joined woodblock), as well as other carving styles. Additionally, there is a display explaining Buddhist symbolisms of different Mudras (hand positions). One recommendation I would make is visiting this learning area first if you haven’t been to many japanese museums or temples, as these exhibitions break down lots of information into very digestible diagrams that will set you up for greater understanding.
Byodoin Temple Museum – Hoshokan
ACCESS
Website: https://www.byodoin.or.jp/museum/
Hours: 9:00 – 17:00 Open Everyday
Cost:
Adults: 700 yen
Junior and High School Students: 400 yen
Elementary Students: 300 yen
Address: Renge-111 Uji, Kyoto 611-0021
Closest Stops:
JR Uji Station via JR Nara Line
Uji Station via Keihan Uji Line
The Byodoin temple in Uji also boasts a small museum full of important Buddhist art – the Hoshokan. Taking about 20-30 minutes to go through, it is a nice spot to go visit before or after the Phoenix Hall.
Modern and down to earth, the museum is carefully lit to preserve the pieces inside; the overall darkness allows it to have a quiet and calm atmosphere, while pieces are lit strategically for better viewing. Captions are mostly in Japanese, but some details about time period or piece are written in English. While photographing the pieces inside is not allowed, it’s useful to have a translating app at hand for greater understanding of the pieces.
The benefit of the museum is the closeness one can get to pieces inside, as well as the recreations of the original look of the Phoenix Hall. Although largely restored from the outside, Byodoin Temple has unfortunately taken a lot of damage over the course of its thousand years history.
At the Hoshokan, recreations of the faded interior have been made at 1:1 scale in its original bright colors. The doors depict “Nine Raigo Scenes”, which depict the visitations of the Amitabha, and is the earliest version of any raigo paintings. Visitors can appreciate the visuals and aesthetic choices made in the late 900s! Furthermore, there are models of ceiling details, such as inlaid mother of pearl corner girders which have been damaged over time and cannot be seen close up on the inside of the Phoenix Hall.
Additionally, there is an exhibit on the life and collection of Yorimichi Fujiwara, the regent who established Byodoin in 1052. It contains several important statues and paintings brought in by Fujiwara, some of which are National Treasures.
However, the “prize jewel” at the Hoshokan is the exhibition of 26 flying Bodhisattvas of Byodoin. The largest room in the museum houses half of the original statues on the walls of the Phoenix Hall. Here, a visitor can get close up to them and observe their gentle expressions and delicate carvings, as well as metal accessories and jewelry.
The Bodhisattvas were carved under the master Jocho, and hold many tools and instruments in their hands – including a multitude of traditional Japanese musical instruments. Walking around, one may attempt to find each instrument and its Bodhisattva. It’s a great way to slow down and take in the statues, giving each one some attention.
Tokyo National Museum
ACCESS
Website: https://www.tnm.jp/
Hours:
Tue – Thur 9:30 – 17:00
Fri – Sat 9:30 – 19:00
CLOSED MONDAYS
Cost:
Adults: 1,000 yen
University Students: 500 yen
Seniors & Children: Free
Address: 13-9 Uenokoen, Taito City, Tokyo 110-8712
Closest Stops:
(JR Line) 10 minutes’ walk from Ueno or Uguisudani Station
(Ginza or Hibiya Tokyo Metro Line) 15 minutes’ walk from Ueno Station
(Chiyoda Tokyo Metro Line) 15 minutes’ walk from Nezu Station
(Keisei Line) 15 minutes’ walk from Keisei Ueno Station
Located within Ueno Park, the Tokyo National Museum is a large museum with much to offer, including a great collection of Buddhist art. It’s a great place to visit if you want to connect with Japan’s history and artistic culture but can’t get out to the old capitals of Kyoto or Nara.
In the Toyokan (Asian Pavilion) there are Chinese, Indian, and Pakistani Buddhist statues and paintings. I recommend going to the Toyokan before the Horyuji Gallery, largely because Buddhism started in India and it allows you to see the changes in stylization as Buddhism traveled to Japan.
Spotlight: Gallery of Horyuji Treasures
The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures is one of the main halls of the Tokyo National Museum and the most directly connected with Japanese Buddhism. Hosting many pieces from the Horyuji Temple in Nara, the gallery has statues, as well as Buddhist tools for different processions and ceremonies. The modern two story museum is light and minimal outside, while inside it is mostly dim, with pieces individually lit up.
One of the most beautiful pieces the gallery possesses is a 7th century Kanjo-ban banner. A gilt bronze piece used for the Kanjo ceremony, it hangs gracefully in the middle of the stair, and is a wonderful and detailed example of Buddhist craft. Toplit, it becomes more and more beautiful to look at as you ascend the stairs.
Also on the first floor is a room of 48 gilt bronze statues, most of which are 30-40 cm tall. Each one is kept in a perfect glass case, and they are lined up in a grid. A bronze wall redirects the light around the room, which adds to a beautiful glow and ambience. They are small and delicate, each with unique characteristics.
On the second floor there’s lots of Buddhist metalwork, from ceremonial objects to things used daily by monks. While most of the works are Japanese, there are also Chinese and Korean pieces that were held by Horyuji in the gallery. Since many of the objects were donated to the temple by the imperial families, the pieces are quite ornate and unique works for each era.
In each room there are descriptive plaques of the collection and the histories and reasons why pieces are displayed together. Additionally, the gallery has a “digital archive” for visitors to explore online, which has descriptions for each object in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, English, and French.
Conclusion
In short, there are many beautiful and interesting Buddhist artifacts all over Japan, and these museums are ways to access a multitude of different eras and types of Buddhist art in urban areas. They are set up to be educational and also accessible to the public. Each has its own unique treasures to experience, and many of them also hold special exhibitions. By going to museums, one can really experience the devotion in this religion through devotion to craft and art.
*All photos are mine unless otherwise stated.
CAL POLY JAPAN 2024 