Japan Buddhist Sacred Art — Regional Hub (Leaf-Level Deity + Iconography Map) | Japonista Archive
BUDDHIST STATUES & SACRED ART · JAPAN INDEX
Japan Buddhist Sacred Art Hub
Leaf-Level Index · Temple Ecology · Deity Systems
How to use this page: This is the leaf-level index for Japan. It routes you into the canonical Japan pillar and into individual deity systems (Myoo, Shitenno, Tenbu, temple-gate guardians, and more).
Primary Japan Page (Pillar): Buddhist Statues & Sacred Art (Japan)
Master Navigator (Up): Buddhist Sacred Art Navigator
Cross-region hubs: Gandhara · Tibet / Himalayan · China
Curator’s Note: Japan’s sacred art system is unusually legible. Deity identity is stable; Japanese corridors add temple placement logic, set-based groupings, and syncretic ecology. Use this hub when you want a single “Japan index page” to route users into the pillar and into specific deity systems (Myoo, Shitenno, Tenbu, etc.).
Region Navigation
- Master Navigator (Up)
- Japan Pillar (Primary)
- Godai Myoo — System Master
- Myoo (Wisdom Kings) — Class Master
Japan Leaf-Level Glossary Tree (Expand)
Open the branches below. Leaves are pre-assigned page anchors. Many will be built as Deity Masters / System Masters as inventory grows.
I. Buddhas (Nyorai) — Japan Corridor
Japan emphasizes stable altar identities: Dainichi (esoteric), Amida (Pure Land), Yakushi (healing), Shaka (historical teaching).
Core Buddhas (High-frequency in Japan)
Mandala / Esoteric Frame
Buddha Iconography Tools
II. Bodhisattvas (Bosatsu) — Japan Corridor
Japan’s Bosatsu culture strongly emphasizes approachable compassion figures (Kannon and Jizo), plus doctrinal pairs (Monju / Fugen).
Major Bosatsu (Japan altar core)
Kannon Variant Family (Japan emphasis)
Bosatsu Iconography Tools
III. Wisdom Kings (Myoo) — Japan System Core
Japan is where Myoo become standardized “system beings.” Use the system masters to avoid confusion.
Godai Myoo (Five Wisdom Kings)
Other Myoo (frequent Japan corridor)
Myoo Practice Context (Japan)
IV. Ten & Guardians — Japan Architectural Protection Logic
Japan strongly encodes protection in temple architecture: gate → Nio → guardian hall → main Buddha.
Shitenno (Four Heavenly Kings)
Nio (Kongo Rikishi) — Gate Threshold Pair
Devas (Ten) — Adopted Protectors
Retinue Sets (Japan)
V. Celestial & Ritual Beings — Japan Tenbu / Hiten Layer
Celestial beings appear as retinues in murals, paradise scenes, and mandala environments; Japan preserves unique court-music adjacency.
Flying Celestials (Hiten)
Musical Celestials (Gakuten / Bugakuten)
Karyobinga
Mandala Retinues
VI. Specialized / Syncretic Forms — Japan Ecology Layer
Japan develops a strong hybrid ecology: kami–Buddha fusion, mountain practice figures, and localized protectors.
Kami–Buddha syncretism
Shugendo and mountain practice figures
Folk guardians
Return Paths
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