Sho-Kanzeon Bosatsu Statue

The Sho Kanzeon Bosatsu inside the East Hall at Yakushiji Temple dates to the Hakuho period (645-710) and is considered one of the finest Kannon statues in Japan. Unlike the dramatic multi-armed depictions of Kannon found at other temples, this figure has a more naturalistic form, with hair falling over the shoulders and subtle folds of flesh that make it feel almost alive. The thin, sari-like robe revealing the contours of the legs reflects influences from Indian Buddhist sculpture. No records survive of who made it, though scholars have noted connections to images from India and Sri Lanka.