Shōten (Kangiten) image (within Esoteric Buddhist images)
ink on paper · Kamakura period · 13th century · Kyoto — Kyō-ō Gokoku-ji (Tō-ji)
An elephant‑headed deity kept from public view; his features survive only on monks' diagrams.
Exhibition: Celebrating 1250 Years Since the Birth of the Great Master Kūkai: Kūkai and the Treasures of Shingon Buddhism — Tokyo National Museum · –