Shohoji Temple (Shimesasu Shoho-an)
Main Image Juichimen Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
Impression TagsNobilityDepthStillness
DescriptionThis wooden standing Eleven-Faced Kannon is preserved as the principal image of Shohoji Temple. About one meter tall and carved from a single piece of camphor wood, it can be dated precisely to November 27, 1112, from an ink inscription on the reverse of the halo. Remarkably, not only the main figure but also its pedestal and halo survive from the original creation, with faint traces of the former polychromy still visible. Although some of the subsidiary heads are missing, the statue retains a calm, archaic character and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. It is a hidden image unveiled twice a year, on January 18 and September 18.
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