Also takushu 磔手 and chōshu 張手 (Sk: vitasti). A unit of measure that originated in India, used in the…

Father old man. A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a cheerful old man. The powder…

The path purifier, mask worn by the first actor in a procession of ancient theatrical performances gigaku 伎楽.…

Lit. knowledge-fist mudra. A mudra or hand gesture *in 印 formed by…

Also enjiraku or enchiraku 円地楽. A piece in imperial court dancing *…

Also chinzō chōkoku, see *chinsō 頂相. Portrait sculptures of…

Eyes carved directly into the surface of a wooden sculpture. This method was in general use until the late Heian period when…

Also kinjūza 禽獣座 and jūza 獣座. A pedestal or throne for a Buddhist image in the form of a bird or a…

Also pronounced chōketsui. A garment with long sleeves. Seen, for example, on images of *…

Also kairen 開蓮. A lotus flower found on the head of a *Fudō Myōō …

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 supposedly intended to represent the 9th-century poet and…

Metal casting. A technique used in metalwork to produce vessels or sculptures by melting down metal and pouring it into a…

Also chūdai-no-son 中台の尊. The principal statue in a group of Buddhist statues. The central image in a triad or group…

Also imono 鋳物. Casting. A technique used to make cast sculptural forms. 

The base material was heated…

Spiral shaped curls of hair, like snail-shells, on the head of a *nyorai…

Lit. "welcoming mudra." A mudra or hand gesture *in 印 in which the forefinger,…

A net-like ornament strung with jewels or precious metals and hung from the canopy *…

Lit. "lotus petal."
1　A pendant *gatō 瓦当, found on semi-…

Also renza 蓮座. Lit. "Lotus base" (Sk: padmasana). A dais for a Buddhist image *…

The central section of a lotus flower pedestal *rengeza 蓮華座 on which a Buddhist image usually…

A manner of representing drapery folds in Buddhist sculpture. It consists of either 

1) a high…

Ch: Lishi. A gigaku mask *gigakumen 伎楽面…

Ch: Lin Hejing (967-1028). A noted poet, calligrapher and scholar of the Northern Song dynasty. Rin Nasei's real name was…

A type of halo *kōhai 光背 used on Buddhist images, forming a free-…

The royal ease position (Sk: Maharajalilasana). A seated position used for a Buddhist image with one knee (usually…

Also rōgata chūzō 蝋型鋳造, rōgata imono 蝋型鋳物. A method of metal casting known as the lost-wax…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing the aged, yet beautiful face of…

A Buddhist sculpture workshop *bussho 仏所, active from the 11th-14th century and…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing the suffering spirit of a woman…

Also Raryōō 羅陵王, Ranryōō 蘭陵王 (King Lanling), and Ryūō 龍王 (Dragon King, see *…

Also read ritsuzō. A Buddhist image which is standing, as opposed to seated (see *…