Onjoji Temple: Kani Krodha

JAPAN, Shiga, Otsu; Kamakura period

According to the Record of Enchin’s Pilgrimage to Tang Dynasty China, Kani Krodha is an incarnation of Amitabha Buddha. Dating from the 13th century, this painting is a treasure of Onjoji Temple in Shiga. It was listed as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1900.
Kani Krodha is depicted as a wrathful figure with wide eyes and fangs. He stands in a majestic pose with his arms outstretched, left foot lifted, and right foot placed on a lotus pedestal. A tiger-skin garment covers the thighs, and a golden stole is draped around the arms. The body is adorned with bracelets, armlets, and ornaments. A trail of smoke rises from Kani Krodha’s mouth, supporting a small image of Amitabha.
In the upper corners, two symmetrical apsaras scatter flowers. A four-armed Dharma protector, a raksasa, and figures with an elephant’s head and a boar’s head stand on clouds in the lower corners. The gold highlights and the dark background are characteristic of Japanese Vajrayana Buddhist art.