6 Byakue Kannon

One of Rakuzan Takahashi’s noted cave Kannon statues is the Byakue Kannon. Nearby is the famous Takasaki Byakue Daikannon, a 41.8 meter tall statue.

The etymology of the term is “to wear a white robe.” She is said to be the wife of the Amitabha Tathagata and is also the mother of the Kannon bodhisattva. For this reason, Kannon is often depicted in a feminine way.

In our subjective opinion, the highly freeform design and structure of this Kannon makes it unique among others. In contrast to the Takasaki Byakue Daikannon, which has a gentle and kind, almost motherly appearance, the Doukutsu Byakue Kannon is seated, and her clothes are more opulent. Although the figure has a full, feminine appearance and a Zen pose suggesting gentle femininity, it also seems to exude a hidden strength from within.

Since this piece is the result of discussions between founder Tokuzo Yamada and Rakuzan Takahashi on the design, just what led them to arrive at this appearance? Perhaps, one wonders, it is due to the impact Yamada’s wife, Nao, had on his countless successes? In fact, there is a record stating that, “On snowy days when no laborers were available, the couple had no choice but to dig the site together.” Nao hailed from Ojiya, Niigata Prefecture, and had a hardworking, patient mentality. It would be no surprise to think that her image was incorporated in the Doukutsu Byakue Kannon. Nao can also be seen in the Yamatoku Kinenkan Memorial Hall. The white-coated Kannon is believed to ward off disaster and ailments. We hope that this image of the helping hand of the white-robed Kannon, the result of the Yamadas designs and Rakuzan Takahashi’s artisan skill, blesses people near and far.