No. 9Chionji Temple（Amanohashidate）

The principal image of worship at Chionji Temple is Manjushri (Monju Bosatsu in Japanese), a symbol of wisdom who is depicted here traveling from India to China. Manjushri sits astride a lion, flanked by his attendant Sudhana (Zenzai Doji in Japanese) on the right and King Udayana on the left. The former carries Manjushri's iconic sutra box, a symbol of wisdom, and the latter leads the lion.

This piece dates back to the Kamakura Period (1185–1333). Its use of fine, raised colored ornamentation, the exceptional height of the tied hair atop the head, and the soft and supple look of the body are characteristic of the latter Kamakura Period artistic style.

Although it is currently used as a water basin, this was intended for use as a bathtub. It was originally made for Kohoji Temple in 1290, during the Kamakura Period (1185–1333), and later moved to Chionji Temple. The maker’s marks indicate that it was made by a blacksmith named Sadakiyo Yamagawa, and the use of a thin layer of iron despite the bathtub's large size speaks to his skill and craftsmanship.

A two-story pagoda with a cylindrical upper tier on top of a square first tier, topped with a tented roof and a stupa with a spiral, is called a tahoto. Chionji Temple's tahoto is the only one remaining from the Muromachi period (1336-1573) in the Tango region. The image of Vairocana (Dainichi Nyorai in Japanese) enshrined in the center is the fundamental Buddha in esoteric Shingon Buddhism and considered a symbol of the universe. The roof of the pagoda is made using the ancient technique of layering thin, overlapping wooden boards, and the gently curving eaves create an elegant appearance.

According to its inscription, this gong was made in 1322 for a Buddhist temple in Korea, and it serves as an example of the trade activities between Japan's Tango region and the Korean Peninsula. The gong is similar in design to waniguchi gongs traditionally seen at Japanese temples, although some differences can be seen, such as the use of three rings for hanging it, and the lotus-petal and arabesque design motifs around the perimeter.