It was confirmed by a survey using a CT scanner that a scroll was stored inside the "Myoe Jojin Zodiac Statue", which is owned by Kozanji Temple in Kyoto and designated as a national important cultural property. The house says, "It's an important discovery that can be a big clue to find out the creator and the date of production."
The "Myoe Jojin Zodiac Statue", which is designated as a national important cultural property, is a life-sized sculpture made in honor of Myoe Shonin who rebuilt Kozanji Temple at the beginning of the Kamakura period. It will be exhibited outside the temple for the first time in 28 years in the special exhibition "All about National Treasure Birds and Beasts Caricature" starting from.
Prior to the exhibition, the Tokyo National Museum examined the inside of the statue using a CT scanner, and found that the scroll was "scraped" from the chest to the abdomen.
The scroll is believed to have been placed when the statue was made, about 30 cm in size, and there is no evidence that it was subsequently removed.
According to the Tokyo National Museum, since the Nara period, scriptures and applications may be placed in the statue with the thought of worship and religion, and the scroll confirmed this time may be a scripture related to the religion of Myoe Shonin. It is possible.
"I can't take out the scroll from the inside and I don't know what is written, but in the future, I will try to identify the creator of this sculpture and find out the date of production, etc." It's an important discovery that can be a big clue. "