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Located in Higashi-Ōmi City, Shiga Prefecture, Hyakusai-ji is one of the three great temples of Kōtō, the region along the eastern shores of Lake Biwa. According to tradition, this ancient temple was founded by Prince Shōtoku (574–622). Enshrined in its Main Hall is the temple’s principal image of devotion, a standing Eleven-Headed Kannon, also traditionally
associated with the prince. Despite repeated fires and periods of religious persecution, the temple has continued to transmit the light of Buddhism to this day. Revered as a highly sacred hidden Buddha (hibutsu), this Kannon long remained veiled in mystery. Recent research, however, has led to its designation as an Important Cultural Property, dating it to the latter half of the Nara period (710–794), followed by comprehensive conservation treatment. On the occasion of restoration work on the Main Hall, this sacred image will be exhibited outside the temple for the first time at MIHO MUSEUM.
Many temple ruins from the Hakuhō period (645–710) have been identified throughout Shiga Prefecture, and in HigashiŌmi City, distinctive features such as roof tiles known as the “Kōtō style” have also been discovered. Hyakusai-ji is believed to have been founded by the immigrant Eichi Hata clan, who resided in the Echi district of Kōtō. The temple flourished as a Tendai institution connected with Mount Hiei during the late Heian period (794–1185), and in the medieval era developed as a sacred monastic complex surrounded by numerous subtemples. The Christian missionary Luís Fróis (1532–97) described it as a “paradise on earth,” evoking its splendor at that time. Tragically, much of its grandeur was reduced to ashes in a conflict with the warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534–82). The present Main Hall (now designated Important Cultural Property) and other structures on the grounds were rebuilt in the Edo period (1615–1868).
In this exhibition, we bring together outstanding cultural properties, centered on the Buddhist sculptures and paintings transmitted at Hyakusai-ji, alongside gilt bronze and wooden Buddhist images from across Shiga Prefecture and paintings thought to be associated with the Tendai sect. Through these works, this exhibition explores the Buddhist art of Shiga centered on this historic temple.