Sk: a-hum. 'A' is the sound of the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet and is pronounced with the mouth open.…

A raised platform with a *tatami 畳 mat on top, often having a brightly…

A statue of a figure with its mouth open. Usually seen on one of a pair of guardian kings *Niō…

Also written as 阿瘤尉. A Noh mask *nōmen 能面, representing a dignified, old man who…

A dance piece in *bugaku 舞楽, as well as the mask *…

Lit. nun. A character in kyōgen 狂言 plays, represented by a masked figure *…

One of a group of chanted prayers used to express penitence to various Buddhist deities. Prayers of repentance to *…

Also read Amida kuhon-in. Lit. Mudras of the nine grades of Amida. The Pure Land jōdo 浄土 into which *…

The simplest form of robe that a Buddhist priest wears when he is either resting or at work. The andae is one of…

A style of Buddhist statuary originated by Kaikei 快慶 (?-1189-1221-?), a devout believer in the Pure Land sect, Jōdokyō …

Lit. rough cutting. The second stage in the making of a wooden statue. The first stage is to cut a large block of timber the…

Lit. rough clay. Clay mixed with other materials (known as *susa すさ),…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing an old man. The broad bone structure, direct…

Also written 麻緒, 麻苧, asahimo 麻紐, asa-ito 麻糸. Cord or thread made from hemp, asa 麻, and Chinese…

Lit. foot-tenon. A rectangular piece of wood that projects from the sole of a standing wooden statue and fits into a…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 of the basic emaciated *…

Also written 霊神, 網像, 危. Noh masks *nōmen 能面, representing a wraith or a…

Also written 阿夜岐理 and called Aikirijo 愛嗜女. A dance piece in *bugaku 舞楽 and a…

Also daibusshi-shiki 大仏師職, zōbutsu-chōkan 造仏長官. An important Buddhist sculptor *…

Also jōrokubutsu 丈六仏. The term used to describe a very large statue of Buddha. Originally any statue more than…

A standard lotus pedestal *rengeza 蓮華座 used to support a *…

Also sōgyari 僧伽梨 (Sk: sanghati). A robe worn by Buddhist priests. The largest of the three robes *…

1　An abbreviation for *Daikokuten 大黒天 (Sk: Mahakala). Regarded by…

A pedestal or dais upon which a Buddhist image is placed. The type of pedestal is related to the type of image it supports…

Also dakkanshitsu 脱乾漆, dakkatsu kanshitsuzō 脱活乾漆像, dakkatsu kanshitsu-zukuri 脱活乾漆造. Hollow dry…

A Buddhist statue made from fragrant, fine-grained wood such as white sandalwood *…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 used to represent a terrestrial spirit or a dragon god.…

Gold eyes. A Noh mask, *nōmen 能面, representing a mature woman who carries within…

Also hōdō 宝幢, tendō 天幢, or bandō 幡幢. A small, rectangular cloth banner on a pole used as a…

The movable face plate. The most elaborate gimmick used on the bugaku mask, *…

Rotating eyes, a gimmick used for many bugaku masks, *bugakumen 舞楽面…

Lit. child, young boy.

1　A boy between 8 and 20 years old living in a Buddhist temple. He studies…

Decorative drapery used on statues in the Kamakura region from the late Kamakura period. The drapery was made in clay relief…

A technique where a mixture of animal glue, *nikawa 膠, and powdered burnt clay…

Bronze work. Bronze casting has been very important in Japan since ancient times, and was used for Yayoi period dōtaku…