A Nenbutsu Gathering at Ichiya, Kyoto

A Nenbutsu Gathering at Ichiya, Kyoto

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Women, men, and children of all social classes gather around a pavilion sheltering a large group of monks. They are there to watch the traveling monk Ippen (1239–1289) invoke Amida Buddha through a buoyant dance accompanied by rhythmic chanting and percussive music, a practice called odori nenbutsu. Their anticipation is evident as they wait for his incantatory dance to begin. This section originally formed part of a handscroll illustrating the Biography of the Monk Ippen and His Disciple Ta’a, which describes the works of Ippen, founder of the Ji sect of Pure Land Buddhism.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A Nenbutsu Gathering at Ichiya, KyotoA Nenbutsu Gathering at Ichiya, KyotoA Nenbutsu Gathering at Ichiya, KyotoA Nenbutsu Gathering at Ichiya, KyotoA Nenbutsu Gathering at Ichiya, Kyoto

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.