Japanese Stone Iconography

Abstract

Buddhist stone images (sekibutsu) form the central topic of the present article which introduces Japanese outstanding creations of Japanese stone sculpture. Sekibutsu are divided broadly into two groups: magaibutsu (objects carved on large rocks, outcrops, cliffs, also in caves) or free standing statues carved from a single block of stone or those, where several blocks were joined. Stone creations are rare, compared to statues made from wood or bronze, but they stand among the Japanese sculptural masterpieces and symbolize the epoch which has produced them.