Ōtsu-e of Shōmen Kongōyasha (Vajrayaksha)

Japan

Not on view

Ōtsu-e, or “pictures from Ōtsu Village," were folk paintings popular with travelers the busy trade and pilgrimage routes passing by Lake Biwa, to the northeast of Kyoto. The fierce blue-bodied deity Shōmen Kongōyasha served as the central icon for the popular rite of kōshin machi, an all-night religious vigil intended to protect believers from evil. Before him are four fierce yasha (Sanskrit: yaksha), wrathful deities who serve as guardians of Buddhism.

Ōtsu-e of Shōmen Kongōyasha (Vajrayaksha), Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on paper, Japan

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

with mounting, rollers, and knobs

Ōtsu-e of Shōmen Kongōyasha (Vajrayaksha), Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on paper, Japan
Ōtsu-e of Shōmen Kongōyasha (Vajrayaksha), Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on paper, Japan

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.