A fascinating discovery inside a late-Kamakura-period Buddhist statue: During the restoration of the Jūichimen Kannon 十一面観世音菩薩 at Shōjuin 正寿院 in Ujitawara, Kyoto Prefecture, conservators found 95 sheets of paper within the image. 94 of which bore stamped images of Kannon and one containing a handwritten text in ink. The statue, approximately 60 cm tall, is the temple’s principal image and is normally kept concealed as a hibutsu 秘仏 ("secret Buddha"). In announcing the discovery, the temple described the Kannon images' function to magically protect the written document. The contents and date of the document have yet to be established. It will be fascinating to learn what it reveals about the statue’s history and the people who placed these materials inside it. Images below, and a short Japanese news report here: asahi.co.jp/webnews/pages/ab…