[1][3][5] In the backdrop of the end of the Heian period and the Genpei War, Hōnen founded the Jōdo Shū sect amongst a wave of religious fervor during the early Kamakura.

[5][6] One major characteristic of salvation is depicted in the Raigō (Rapid Descent) motif, in which the Amitābha, Avalokiteśvara, and Mahasthamaprapta would elevate the soul into the Pure Land.

[4][10][11][13] Maintenance of paintings of this size, rendered on paper, silk often require conservation every century as the pigment, and the glue would fade and flake off.

The scans revealed the original rough sketch of the painting, which differed very little from the final product, indicating it was a commissioned piece and not mass-produced.

[11][13] The painting, considered a masterpiece of Kamakura art is often put of special exhibition surrounding the life and works of Hōnen and the Jōdo-shū school.

[17] After the 2019-2022 conservation, the painting was once again displayed at Tokyo in the exhibit Hōnen and Pure Land Buddhism, which commemorates the 850th anniversary of the founding of Jōdo-shū.