Nara National Museum

Millennial Memorial Exhibition: Imagining the Afterlife – Hells and Paradise Envisioned by the Buddhist Prelate Genshin

Genshin, the Heian-era monk born and raised in Taima, Nara, devoted himself to spiritual training from an early age and went on to become the high-ranking Buddhist prelate known as Eshin Souzu. His greatest contribution to the Buddhist faith during his time of service was the concrete imagery he created in order to depict different realms of the afterlife. The descriptions of hells and paradise contained in Genshin’s written works served as inspiration for artistic representations of the Buddhist faith for centuries to come. This exhibition features artworks based on the writings of Genshin, providing viewers with a chance to view visions of the afterlife as portrayed over 1,000 years ago in accordance with Buddhist lore.