Shidoji Temple
Main Image Wooden Kongo Rikishi Guardians (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
Impression TagsPowerDignityTense Presence
DescriptionA pair of wooden Kongo Rikishi guardian statues dating from the Kamakura period stand at the Niomon gate of Shidoji, Temple No. 86 of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. The open-mouthed Naraen Kongo (Agyo) measures 304 cm in height, while the closed-mouthed Misshaku Kongo (Ungyo) measures 325 cm. Both were assembled from carved Japanese cypress sections. Their muscular bodies and powerful poses embody the dynamism of Kamakura sculpture. Tradition attributes them to Unkei, although the sculptor has not been established. Both statues are Tangible Cultural Properties designated by Kagawa Prefecture. The distinctive triple-roofed Niomon gate that houses them, built around 1670, is an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Visitors can worship the figures on either side of the temple entrance.
Basic Information
Visit posts for this spot
No visit posts yet.