National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

　　This hanging bronze plaque is kakebotoke, represented their Buddhist form (honji butsu) of the Twelve Shrines Gongen enshrined in Kumano Sansho Shrine on the mirror-like plaque with reinforcement of the rim. On each side of the plaque, there is a clasp with a ring for hanging (note that the one on the observer’s left was newly added). The images and pedestals are created all in one cast and holes are bored above and below each image, through which copper wires fasten the images to the plaque. The halos are made of gilt bronze and decorated with openwork. On the base of the central Amida (Skt. Amitābha), there are holes that a hanging decoration was attached. Between the deities, gilt bronze flowers are attached and beside Fudo Myōō (Skt. Acala) and Bishamonten (Skt. Vaiśravaṇa), there is a water jug. The plaque is silver plated, and the images are coated with gold, and the lips are colored. Although the images have a noble appearance characteristic of the Kamakura period (1185–1333), it is estimated that this was created in the fourteenth century, since it shows some formalization.
　　The Buddhist forms of Three Shrines Gongen are comprised of Amida corresponding to Hongū in the center, Senju Kannon (Skt. Sahasrabhuja-avalokiteśvara) corresponding to Nachi on the observer’s left and Yakushi (Skt. Bhaiṣajyaguru) corresponding to Shingū on the right. In the upper center is Shakamuni (Skt. Śākyamuni) corresponding to Kanjōjūgosho and there are the following deities in a clockwise direction: Monju (Skt. Mañjuśrī) corresponding to Ichimannomiya, Jizō (Skt. Kṣitigarbha) corresponding to Zenjinomiya, Ryūju (Skt. Nāgārjuna) corresponding to Hijirinomiya, Fudō Myōō corresponding to Hikyō Yasha, Bishamonten corresponding to Yonamochi Kongō, Shō-Kannon corresponding to Komorinomiya, Nyoirin Kannon (Skt. Cintāmaṇicakra) corresponding to Konomiya and Fugen (Skt. Samantabhadra) corresponding to Jumannomiya. The Five Princes except Wakamiya are placed above and below the Three Shrines Gongen and the Four Shinto Deities are placed on the right and left of the Three Shrines Gongen. The format where Fudo Myōō and Bishamonten are placed at the bottom is characteristic not only of the Mandala of Kumano, but also of the mandalas of the Tendai sect. Moreover, since the Shakamuni Tried are placed in the upper part, the structural principles seem to have been strictly followed when creating this plate.
　　Since the central primary deity is outstanding in size and flower petals are scattered between the deities, it can be said that this was made based on the strong desire for and faith in the welcoming descent of Amida, the Buddhist form of Hongū.