Deeply affecting Japanese people’s way of living, the faith in Pure Land was widely accepted together with Mappo-shiso (the “end of the world” belief) during Heian Period, about 1000 years ago from now.

Amitabha, the leading Buddhist of Seiho Gokuraku Jodo (The West Pure Land) was the heart and soul of people who live lives full of difficulties, and their faith has been formed into different figures.

Kyushu, located in the west of the Japanese Archipelago, also has a long history of the faith in Pure Land and its feature is different from other areas.

This exhibition gives its attention to faith in Pure Land of Kyushu and features about 200 paintings and sculptures created from such faith.

Please look at the radiant painting of the Pure Land, the statue of Amitabha coming to this world to welcome the spirits of the dead, and the Myogo (prayer to Amitabha) that symbolizes the power of faith, and get to the heart of our ancestors who placed their hopes in afterlife.