Bato Kannon 観世音寺馬頭観音菩薩

Official explanation

Bato Kannon (Skt: Hayagrîva)

There are many forms of the Kannon Bodhisattva, but only one exhibits fierce and menacing features: Bato Kannon or the horse-headed Kannon. The horse imagery is deeply symbolic. The Bato Kannon consumes the earthly desires and negative emotions of sentient beings in the same way a horse consumes grass and water. Five of Bato Kannon’s eight arms hold auspicious implements: an ax; a sword; a garland of beads; a dharma staff; and a dharma wheel. Bato Kannon uses these implements to bestow blessings or provide protection

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The image is carved from wood and is 503 centimeters tall. Bato Kannon sculptures of this type are relatively rare; this is the largest extant image in Japan. The statue dates to around 1130.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.