Thirteen Buddhist Deities

What happens to your soul after you die? Some Japanese Buddhists believe that the soul of the deceased goes through a journey before reaching Paradise. On its path to Paradise, the soul encounters thirteen deities who guide it through the journey. To ensure safe travel, relatives hold thirteen memorial rituals on specific days, beginning seven days after the death and ending on the thirty-third anniversary. The vertical tags next to the deities identify their names and the timing of the ritual with which they are associated.

With the generous support from the Sumitomo Foundation, conservators recently treated and remounted this painting.