Walking Shaka Nyorai Mini Zushi Shrine (12 cm Figure) | Gilt Polychrome Buddhist Icon | Edo–Meiji Era Domestic Devotion

Walking Shaka Nyorai Mini Zushi Shrine (12 cm Figure) — a compact gilt and polychrome Buddhist icon housed within a gold-ground cabinet shrine. This intimate format was made for domestic devotion: a private threshold object that opens from concealment into radiance.

Iconography suggests Shaka Nyorai (Shakyamuni Buddha) in gyozo (walking) form. The walking image carries a distinct devotional mood—awakening not only enthroned in teaching, but moving toward the viewer, accompanying daily life. In a household setting, that sense of approach can be as important as doctrinal symbolism.

The gold interior of the zushi acts as a miniature light chamber, amplifying the figure’s silhouette and presence. The listing indicates extensive age-use with restoration traces and surface losses; read this as a devotional survivor rather than a pristine decorative object. For many collectors, that honest wear is part of the object’s authority: evidence of long handling and lived practice.

Specifications

• Figure size: approx. H 12.0 cm; W 6.5 cm; D 6.5 cm
• Zushi size: approx. H 21.5 cm; W 12.5 cm; D 11.5 cm
• Materials (inferred): carved wood core with lacquer/gesso ground; gilding and pigments; cabinet in wood with gold-toned interior
• Condition: repairs and multiple areas of flaking/loss noted by seller; please review all photos

Who is this deity?

Shaka Nyorai is the historical Buddha. In home practice, Shaka is approached as the clarifying teacher—steady, lucid, and uncompromisingly compassionate. The walking form (gyozo) emphasizes approach and companionship: awakening in motion, meeting the practitioner where they are.

What is a zushi?

A zushi is a cabinet-shrine that protects and conceals a sacred image. Opening the doors becomes part of the ritual: concealment to revelation, ordinary light to the gold interior’s radiance. Historically, zushi also made icons safer to transport and easier to keep in a household environment.

Collector relevance

This object sits at the intersection of Buddhist sculpture and lived domestic culture. Its scale invites close viewing; its wear indicates real use. For collectors building a serious cabinet of Japanese sacred art, small zushi icons offer a direct, human-scale connection to practice and period material culture.

Collector’s Resonance

For the collector who prefers objects that feel inhabited rather than showroom-clean—icons with evidence of being opened, moved, and relied upon. Also for anyone building a study group around household Buddhism, pilgrimage culture, and the intimate scale of devotion.

Confidence & Verification Notes

Attribution appears unsigned and workshop-made; exact dating requires physical inspection (wood species, lacquer strata, tool marks, and interior joinery). We conservatively position this as Edo to Meiji-era domestic devotional work based on format, finishing approach, and typical household zushi construction. Any claims beyond this should be treated as informed but non-certified.

HS Code (customs classification guidance)

Primary recommendation (antique-style sculptural object): 9703.00 (Original sculptures and statuary, in any material). Use when treated as an art object for collection/display.

Alternative (if declared as decorative wood article): 4420 (Statuettes and other ornaments of wood, and wooden articles of furniture not falling elsewhere). Some destinations prefer this for small wood icons.

Note: HS coding can vary by destination authority and how the item is declared (art object vs household ornament). We select the code to match the declared purpose and the carrier’s documentation requirements.

Pricing Strategy

• Yahoo reference price: JPY 1,100 (as shown in listing screenshot; verify current)
• Suggested retail band (USD): $120–$280 for a small zushi icon in heavily worn but displayable condition; higher if workmanship and iconographic quality read stronger in-hand
• Suggested retail band (JPY): JPY 18,000–42,000 (positioned as a study-piece devotional survivor)

Because condition is emphasized, value here is not "mint" but narrative: domestic devotion, gold-ground shrine format, and the walking Shaka motif. Price for the collector who wants authenticity of use.