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 mould. The *nakago 中型 was a term used in metal…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a small Chinese fox. Its thin-lipped, slightly…

A medicine jar, found on the palm of the left hand in figures of *Yakushi 薬師, the…

Keka 悔過 is a term used in Buddhism meaning repentance of one's sins, and refers to the chanting of prayers to…

Also read Yamanba. Oni-onna 鬼女 (demonic woman) or yama-onna 山女 (mountain woman) are used occasionally.…

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

Emaciated man. Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a ghost suffering in hell. Lean…

Lit. "wish-granting mudra (Sk: varada mudra)"; also segan-in 施願印. A mudra or hand gesture *…

1　A string of beads or lacework used to decorate Buddhist statues and objects. Often found on Bodhisattva…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a 12th-century warrior-poet of the Seiwa Genji…

Priest with faltering step. A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a blind young boy…

Also read yosegi zukuri. Formerly called kiyose zukuri 木寄造 or yoseai zukuri 寄合造. Antomym of *…

Also read yūgiza (Sk: lalitasana). A seated position for a Buddhist image, usually a bodhisattva *…