Wooden Amitabha Nyorai Statue (City Designated Important Tangible Cultural Property)

Kannonji Temple is located in a beautiful spot with a great view of Kanawajima Island directly in front of it and ships coming in and out of Hiroshima Port below. According to temple legend, it was rebuilt by Zen master Keiun in the early Edo period, and since its founding, it has flourished under the patronage of successive feudal lords, including Mori Terumoto, Fukushima Masanori, and the Asano clan. The Amida Buddha statue enshrined in the kuri (kitchen) in front of the main hall is said to have been made between the Momoyama period and the early Edo period, but it is a genuine statue that retains the style of the Muromachi period in the draping of its robes. The base of the statue is said to be a typical example of a complex decorative lotus base, with each petal rounded and layered in multiple layers for a gorgeous design. The boat-shaped halo behind the statue is also beautiful, with a cloud-inspired pattern. Amida Nyorai is a Buddha who preaches in the Western Pure Land, but in the Kamakura period, the idea that he would come from paradise to welcome one at the time of one's death became widespread. Since then, paintings and sculptures depicting this coming-to-greet were actively produced. At the time, it was thought that a standing pose was more appropriate for the coming-to-greet than a seated one, and so a large number of standing statues of Amida Buddha were made. The Amida statue at Kannonji Temple is one such example, with the index fingers and thumbs of each hand making a circle to indicate the Raigo mudra (raigo mudra), and with his body slightly leaning forward and his left foot slightly forward, he may be walking towards all living beings. Date designated: April 14, 1975 Summary: Inlay wood construction, statue height 75.5cm, pedestal height 48cm