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

　This is life-sized seated Nyoirin Kannon statue with six-armed. It is said to have been enshrined in the Hall of Nyoirin Kannon in Eko-in Temple in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City. Eko-in Temple was built in the Edo era and according to the biography of this temple, this statue was one of two Nyoirin Kannon statues discovered in the sea close to Tango province (present-day the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture) in Kan’ei 5 (1628) and the other one is currently in Zempukuji Temple in Kyoto City (10th century).
　The shoulder part of each arm is attached to the body and both legs are made from other materials and were attached later. The head and body parts are made from a single block of Japanese nutmeg (kaya) (avoiding the tree core to the forward) and the inner cavity (uchiguri) was not used. In addition to this old structure, features such as the large cylindrical jeweled crown (hokan) carved from the same tree, the dignified facial expression with connected eyebrows, the shape of the head with depth and the wide and relaxed body indicate that this statue was made in or before the late Heian period. Since this statue stands straight while not leaning its head, it is quite similar to Japan’s oldest Nyoirin Kannon statue with six-armed enshrined in Kanshinji Temple in Osaka Prefecture. However, it is a shame that it is slightly off balance as a part of the arms has been replaced.
　The other feature in expressing this statue is that a long thin strip (johaku) is draped from the left shoulder to cover the wide part of the stomach as well as the back to the extent that it almost reaches to the pedestal. Although this is a unique style, there are some precedents to be found in the statues related to Tendai sect. Therefore, it tends to be assumed that this statue is also based on the iconography related to Tendai sect.