Hojozan Zuishoan Temple
Main Image Kongo Rikishi Statues (Agyo and Ungyo) by Ishikawa Uncho Category Tenbu (Deva)
Impression TagsPowerDignityTense Presence
DescriptionA pair of Kongo Rikishi statues by the celebrated late-Edo sculptor Ishikawa Uncho stands in the Romon Gate of Hojozan Zuishoan. Agyo is 173.5 cm tall and Ungyo 183.0 cm; they are thought to have been made in the Ansei era or later, a few years after the gate was rebuilt in 1847. During repairs to the gate in 1988, an inscription reading “Sanjo carver Ishikawa Takumi Uncho” was confirmed on the back of a pedestal, and the pair is designated a Cultural Property of Yuzawa Town. Their powerful gazes, large limbs, and long toes pinning down demons create a striking presence. The vivid red, blue, green, and gold coloring dates from a 1929 restoration. Viewing is free and unrestricted except in winter, when the gate is enclosed for protection from snow and the statues cannot be seen.
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