Saimyoji Temple
Main Image Standing Wooden Bishamonten (Tobatsu Bishamonten) Category Tenbu (Deva)
Impression TagsDignityPowerMystery
DescriptionSaimyoji, Temple No. 3 on the Shikoku 36 Fudo Pilgrimage, preserves a wooden standing Bishamonten in its treasure hall. Believed to date from the late Heian period, the 151.6-centimeter-tall statue is carved from a single block of Japanese cypress. It takes the form of Tobatsu Bishamonten, supported by the earth goddess Jiten and attended by the two demons Biramba and Nairamba. The spear in the right hand and pagoda in the left are considered later additions, so its original identification as Tobatsu Bishamonten is uncertain. It was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1911. The temple is also known as the 'Temple of Bush Clover,' and the usually hidden statue is opened for viewing on April 3 each year.
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