By TAKUMI OKADA/ Staff Writer
March 19, 2023 at 15:26 JST
IKARUGA, Nara Prefecture—Japan’s oldest Buddhist paintings moved a step forward to their first public display since they were badly damaged in a 1949 fire at Horyuji temple here.
But it could still take many years before public viewing is available for what have been called the “crown jewels of the art.”
The 12 elaborate murals were drawn on the inner walls of the temple’s Golden Hall between the late seventh century and early eighth century. They feature Shaka Nyorai (historical Buddha), Yakushi Nyorai (Buddha of healing and medicine), among others.
Four murals are about 3 meters by 2.6 meters, while the eight others are about 3 meters by 1.5 meters.
Since the fire, the murals have been stored at the treasure house, which was completed in 1952 on the temple’s compound, and they have not been shown to the general public, in principle.
The temple, a World Heritage site, has sought to find ways to put them on display on a regular basis.
In 2015, the temple, in cooperation with the Cultural Affairs Agency and The Asahi Shimbun, set up a committee to preserve and use the murals.
On March 18, the panel, chaired by Yoshitaka Ariga, visiting professor of Japanese art at Tokyo University of the Arts, concluded the murals were no longer in need of immediate restoration work.
The panel outlined proposals on what would be needed to display the art to the public, including compiling a manual on managing the murals and using an airlock facility to minimize potential damage.
Panel members said the storage house epitomizes Japan’s efforts to preserve and protect cultural properties from disasters.
As a basic policy toward exhibition, the committee recommended the treasure house install a facility for easy control of ventilation and air conditioning without largely changing the building’s appearance and internal functions.
Shokaku Furuya, head priest of the temple, hailed the committee’s conclusion although he noted that it will be many more years before the murals will be displayed to the public.
“I feel we could move a step forward,” he said. “We would like the public to know that the precious paintings, though damaged, remain at our temple.”
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One of the 12 murals damaged in a 1949 fire at Horyuji temple in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, features the Buddha of the Pure Land. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
