kanshoku 冠飾

A general term for the ornamentation and style of Buddhist crowns *hōkan 宝冠. Bodhisattvas *bosatsu 菩薩 are often portrayed wearing crowns that have flower and foliage designs. These designs are thought to be derived from flowers used in hair decoration of Indian Buddhist images, as seen for example in the cave paintings in Ajanta (5th century). The various forms of kanshoku include the 7th-century three-sided *sanmentōshoku 三面頭飾; the high peaked *sanzankan 三山冠; and crowns bearing miniature images *kebutsu 化仏 such as the *gochi hōkan 五智宝冠.