Also ebigatakote 海老形篭手. A shrimp-shaped gauntlet *kote 篭手. Armor worn to…

Also written 夷, 戎, or 蛭子.

1　One of the seven gods of good fortune *…

Also ei 影, *shin-ei 真影, *miei…

Folds in a garment, or the pattern made by these folds. 

In Buddhist statues, the style of drapery folds changed…

A Buddhist sculpture school *bussho 仏所, active in Kyoto from the 11th century…

An imaginary type of gold which, according to Buddhist scriptures, was the most precious of metals. It was said to be found…

A round nimbus. A round halo on a Buddhist statue, attached to the back of the head. Enkei kōhai are further…

A type of round nimbus *kōhai 光背 or halo, found on a Buddhist image. The…

Lit. Lengthened life Kaja. A noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a cheerful young…

Also written 焔髪. Upstanding hair in the shape of flames. This accompanies an expression of anger *…

Also ensō kōhai 円相光背. A large circular halo *kōhai 光背 found on…

Lit. "standing tree Buddha." A Buddhist image carved on a living tree or on wood that retains the form of the original tree…

Graver. A sharp, pointed steel tool used in metalwork and stone carving. Used for engraving, carving, and chiselling,…

Old Persian man taikofu 太孤父 and young Persian boy taikoji 太孤児, two types of gigaku masks *…

A small Buddhist image that is placed inside a larger one as an offering. In most cases, older images were placed inside…

"Running in retreat," a *bugaku 舞楽 dance and mask *…

Also takaya bussho 高矢仏所. A guild of Buddhist sculptors active in Nara *…

An image that has more heads, eyes, or limbs than the human figure.

Also *tamen kōhi 多面広臂. A Buddhist image with more heads, eyes, or limbs than…

A single topknot. Hair tied on top of the head in a simple round topknot *hōkei…

Also tekō, yubitsugai 指番. A protective piece of leather or metal used to protect the back of a soldier's…

Also *shō 摂. Clay statue. An old term used in the Nara period to…

Lit. "mudra for turning the Dharma-wheel." A mudra or hand gesture *in 印…

Also tenchigen. A facial expression found on *Fudō Myōō 不動明王, where the right…

Lit. "heavenly youth," also warabemai 童舞 (dancing child). A dance mask representing a young boy with parted hair…

1　Also sangai 傘蓋, hōgai 宝蓋, kagai 華蓋, kengai 懸蓋. Sk: chatra…

Lit. "heaven people."

1　The heavenly gods as opposed to the gods of earth, chigi 地祇.
…

Also hōkandai 宝冠台. A decorative band around the head found on *bosatsu…

Also tenne 纏衣. A long, narrow strip of ornamental cloth, found on images of *…

A Buddhist statue made of cast iron. Cast iron statues were not as common in Japan as bronze (see *…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 of the *…

Gilding. A decorative technique used in metalwork, where an object was coated with a thin layer of gold. In Japan, this…

A pestle with a single sharp blade at each end, found as an attribute *jimotsu…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing an old, plebeian man used only…

Powdered burnt clay or pulverized whetstone. Used for polishing swords and coloring wood. Tonoko was mixed with…

A style of sculpture represented by the work of the 7th-century sculptor known as Tori busshi 止利仏師. Tori was believed to be…

Lit. "life-size." A standard unit of measurement for Buddhist statues *hōryō…

Decoration found on the head of a Buddhist sculpted figure. This includes hairstyles *…

A cylindrical seat or round pedestal *daiza 台座 for a Buddhist image. Many images…

Also written 津波井仏所. A guild of Buddhist sculptors *busshi 仏師 active in Nara *…

Also 通圓. A mask of an old man, used in the kyōgen 狂言 play Tsūen (The Tea Priest, Tsūen…

An abbreviation of tsūryō kenpō 通両肩法. A style of wearing a Buddhist robe covering both shoulders. The robe…

Dangling chin, a gimmick used on some bugaku masks *bugakumen…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing the God of Thunder. Great…

Enclosed inner mold. The *nakago 中型 was a term used in metal…