Also read shūbutsu. A Buddhist image printed in ink on paper or cloth, and often placed inside a Buddhist statue (see *zōnai nōnyūhin 像内納入品). Suribotoke are thought to have developed from *inbutsu 印仏 (small multiple Buddhist prints), which were brought to Japan from the Asian continent in the 9th century. A Song Chinese print of Miroku bosatsu-zō 弥勒菩薩像 dated 984 was discovered inside the Seiryōji 清凉寺 Shaka nyorai-zō 釈迦如来像 in Kyoto.
An early Japanese example, completed 1164, consists of images of the 28 followers of *Senju Kannon 千手観音 (see *nijūhachi bushū 二十八部衆), located inside the Sentai Senju Kannon 千体千手観音 in Rengeōin 蓮華王院 (Sanjūsangendō 三十三間堂), Kyoto. Offering prints to the temple as an act of devotion was popular among less wealthy lay believers, particularly during the Middle Ages (12th-16th century), since it was much cheaper than commissioning a statue or painting.
Originally the two terms suribotoke and inbutsu were interchangeable, but gradually suribotoke were distinguished by size and technique. While inbutsu were small (usually 10 cm or less), engraved on a seal and pressed many times onto paper to cover the whole sheet, suribotoke were larger, more detailed images, made by rubbing paper or cloth over a carved printing block. Themes were usually Buddha, *bosatsu 菩薩 or *ten 天 figures. From the Kamakura period, life-size prints were made, such as the Jūichimen Kannon-zō 十一面観音像 in Taimadera 当麻寺, Nara. In the Muromachi period suribotoke were painted in color over the basic printed outline, and the subject-matter and formats also expanded to include *mandara 曼荼羅 and scrolls *emaki 絵巻. Many original printing blocks have been preserved, for example in Rinnōji 輪王寺, Tochigi Prefecture.