Yamada-den Amida Triad

The Yamada-den Amida Triad, or Hōryūji Treasure N-144 is a 7th century sculpture, from the Asuka period depicting the Amida Triad, represented by the Buddha Amitābha, accompanied by bodhissatvas Kannon and Seishi (Mahasthamaprapta).

[3] The reverse of the statue base reveals a description attesting to a possible origin: Yamada-den-no-zō (山田殿像), or "Yamada Hall Statue", with Yamada (山田), likely referring to Yamada-dera (山田寺), founded by Soga no Kurayamada no Ishikawa no Maro.

[1][4] During the Meiji era in 1878, the Imperial Household Agency acquired 319 artifacts from Hōryū-ji via donation, including the Amida Triad, whereupon it got transferred over to the Tokyo National Museum collection in 1949, receiving its designation as N-144.

[9] The transfer from Hōryū-ji presented the initiation and expansion of scholarship of Asuka art, of which as of 2024, 151 statues from the era have been identified so far.

[4] Northern Qi and Sui convention is followed with the bodhisattvas' style of crown and jewelry, indicating Japan's quick adaptation to the trends of the time in China.

The reverse of the statue base, with the inscription: 山田殿像 (Yamada-dono-zō)
Yamada-dera , where the statue presumably came from based upon its pedestal text.
Kannon component of the Triad