With blazing fire on his back and glaring eyes that look as if he is threatening people, Fudo Myo-ou (Acala in Sanskrit) is a Buddhist deity who is believed to smash people’s worldly desires by the strength of his anger and lead them to the correct way. In spite of his fearful looks, Fudo Myo-ou has been one of the most familiar deities to Japanese people since ancient times.

People have prayed to Fudo Myo-ou at Byodoin Temple throughout the 966 years since its foundation. There used to be many temple halls which enshrined Fudo Myo-ou and people offered prayers daily. Unfortunately, the halls all burnt down in fires but some of the statues from the 12^th-13^th century still survive.

Today, there are a statue of Fudo in Kannon-do Hall. The one standing in the middle is Fudo Myo-ou and was produced around the 12^th century. The two statues on either side are Doji and were added later in 1646. Around this time, Byodoin Temple was becoming seriously dilapidated after being damaged in numerous battle fires and had reached a state of crisis. However, Buddhist monks who belonged to different sects – Jodo, Shingon and Tendai – made great efforts to save the temple from this calamity. The statues of Fudo Myo-ou and two Doji have watched over the long history of Byodoin Temple including through these turbulent periods. This special exhibition introduces the Byodoin Temple’s history, featuring the great contributors who exerted a tremendous effort to protect the temple and its treasures.

Exhibition period: April 13th (Fri.) – June 29^th (Fri.), 2018

Venue: Byodoin Museum Hoshokan

Hours: 9:00-17:00 (Byodoin Garden: 8:30-17:30)

Open everyday

Admission: Adults: 600 yen, Junior High and High School Students: 400 yen, Elementary School Students: 300 yen

Admission fee for Byodoin Temple is included.