Ashura Buddhist Art Figurine

Ashura · Tenpyō period · Faithful reproduction by MORITA

A face unlike any other in Buddhist sculpture
Among the Buddhist sculptures that flourished during the Tenpyō period, the Ashura statue is renowned for its exceptional beauty. Because Ashura rules over a realm of strife, the deity is typically depicted with an angry expression. Yet this figure — said to have been commissioned by Empress Kōmyō — bears a look of quiet sorrow and an almost boyish innocence. Each of the three faces expresses a different emotion, and some say they represent stages of growth: from left, to right, to center.

A sculptural beauty carried into the present
For more than half a century, MORITA has specialized in fine art and crafts centered on Buddhist statuary. With deep technical expertise and expressive skill, they have succeeded in faithfully capturing the beauty of National Treasure–class Buddhist statues — along with the profound presence shaped over centuries.

Great care is devoted to each master model, entrusted to highly skilled Buddhist sculptors and modelers. The Isumu Series aspires to a quality that adults can appreciate as true works of Buddhist art. By integrating advanced production technologies, MORITA has made it possible to offer exquisite Buddhist statues at accessible prices — works that would otherwise cost several million yen if made entirely by hand.

Craftsmanship devoted to Buddhist statuary
To faithfully recreate the proportions — the thickness of the arms, overall balance, subtle nuances of expression — human craftsmanship is essential. Over roughly ten years, MORITA visited manufacturing sites around the world, ultimately establishing their own workshop with around twenty top artisans from a distinguished figure-making company. Each piece is produced painstakingly: assembling individual parts, filling joints with putty, and polishing surfaces to a smooth, refined finish — all without compromise.

The material is polystone — stone powder mixed with resin — known for its exceptional fidelity, capable of capturing details as fine as fingerprints. Aging effects and coloration are applied entirely by hand using pigments, gold leaf, and other materials, with artisans painting while referencing photographs of the original surviving statues.

Among all techniques, painting the eyes — the element that determines the statue's spiritual presence — requires extraordinary skill. Only one artisan within MORITA is qualified to carry out this step. The subtle emotional expression within the eyes draws viewers into the world of the sculpture.