Keywords
Art History
Sculpture
A decorative scarf worn by Buddhist deities and guardian figures. It is draped diagonally across the upper body, usually over the left shoulder and under the right arm. The end of the scarf falls on the stomach. The jōhaku originated in India as a form of dress worn by the aristocracy. The first Japanese examples date from the Hakuhō period. Bosatsuzō 菩薩像 wearing jōhaku can be seen in mural paintings in Hōryūji *Kondō 法隆寺金堂, Nara.