This sculpture is widely recognized for retaining the distinct stylistic characteristics of the Heian period.

Although only faint traces of pigment remain on the surface today, I analyzed these remnants to reconstruct the original color palette. Through the restoration of this masterpiece—considered one of the finest examples of Heian-period art—I recreated the iconic color schemes and gilding techniques of that era. As part of this research, I produced a two-dimensional rendering of the decorative patterns, which was subsequently dedicated to Todai-ji Temple.

The kirikane and polychromy were applied to a scale model reconstructed by sculptor Atsushi Suzuki.

Note: This project was made possible through a grant from the Moriya Scholarship Foundation.