KYOTO - A large-scale display of traditional hina dolls, arranged to resemble a Buddhist mandala and numbering about 4,500 in total, has gone on public view at Tsubosaka Temple in Takatori Town, Nara Prefecture.
The exhibition, titled the Great Hina Mandala, features dolls donated from across Japan and displayed around the temple’s principal image of the Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Kannon, evoking the imagery of a mandala. The temple holds the event annually during this season, showcasing hina dolls that have been offered by people nationwide.
A mandala is a symbolic design, traditionally circular, that represents the universe and spiritual order in Buddhist and Hindu traditions. In esoteric Buddhism, mandalas place a central deity at the core, surrounded by other figures arranged in careful geometric patterns to express harmony and the interconnectedness of all things. By arranging the hina dolls concentrically around the main statue, the temple recreates this sacred visual structure in three-dimensional form.
Among the exhibits are unusual creations devised by temple staff, including dolls posed enjoying winter sports such as ski jumping and figure skating to coincide with the Olympic Games, drawing the attention of visitors who stopped to admire the charming display.
The Great Hina Mandala will remain open to the public at Tsubosaka Temple in Takatori Town, Nara Prefecture, through April 18th.
Source: YOMIURI
