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

　Ikoma Taisha Shrine (ikoma ni imasu ikomatsuhiko jinja) is located at the eastern foothill of Mt. Ikoma to the west of Nara City. Mandala of Ikoma Taisha Shrine depicts the shrine buildings and the environs in an orderly manner in addition to Shinto deities appearing in their Buddhist forms (honji butsu) and scenes from tales about the appearance of the enshrined gods. The painting depicts seven large shrines surrounded fences called mizugaki and mud wall in the area slightly above the center. Shrine buildings, Koza (pulpit), Haiden (prayer hall), Romon (gate) are drawn below and Otabisho (temporary shrine) and Kaguraden (sacred dance stage) are presented in scenery with cherry trees in the lower part.
　Seven honji butsu appear in the sky above the shrine buildings. From the observer’s left, these are Monju (Skt. Mañjuśrī), Jizo (Skt. Kṣitigarbha), Juichimen Kannnon (Skt. Ekādaśamukha-avalokiteśvara), Shakamuni (Skt. Śākyamuni), Amida (Skt. Amitābha), Yakushi (Skt. Bhaiṣajyaguru) and Bishamonten (Skt. Vaiśravaṇa), which indicate Katsuragi no takanuka hime no mikoto (the mother of Empress Jingu), Okinaga sukuneo no mikoto (the father of the Empress Jingu), Okinaga tarashihime no mikoto (the Empress Jingu and the mother of the Emperor Ojin), Tarashi nakatsuhiko no mikoto (the Emperor Chuai and the father of the Emperor Ojin), Hondawake mikoto (the Emperor Ojin, same as Hachiman deity), Ikomatsuhiko gami and Ikomatsuhime gami, respectively. In short, three Hachiman deities including the Emperor Ojin and the deities of parents of the Empress Jingu (the mother of the Emperor Ojin) are placed in the center surrounded by the original deities of Ikoma aside. Hachiman deity and his attendants descending to Mt. Ikoma can be seen at the upper part of painting. This design is related to the fact that Hachiman deity, the god of archery and war, started to be appealed to Ikoma Taisha Shrine and became the enshrined deity after the time of Mongol invasion in the late Kamakura period. This painting is delicately expressed and is an important as a full blown suijyakuga (painting based on the theory of Buddhist and Shinto unity) in the Kamakura period.