Mandala of Kumano Shrine

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Kumano mandalas represent the Kumano Shrine complex, one of the most sacred sites in Japan. The painting is divided into three sections. At center, Buddhas and bodhisattvas sit on the tiled floor of a temple. In the bottom register, Shinto deities appear against mountains that dip into the Pacific Ocean. The top register reflects the distinctive confluence of Shinto and Buddhism that took place in medieval Japan, depicting deities from both religious traditions standing side by side. At right is Nachi Waterfall, the largest waterfall in Japan, whose tutelary deity—the one-thousand-armed Kannon—is shown in shining gold. Standing against the tallest peak is the three-eyed, blue-bodied Zaō Gongen, the tutelary deity of yamabushi (mountain-dwelling practitioners of a sect known as Shugendō). The sect's legendary founder, En no Gyōja, can be seen seated in a nearby cave, flanked by his two servant-demons.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art