Household Gods – Gods and Buddhas in Folk Beliefs (Folk Art Series)

Photographer Kiyoshi Nishioka has captured a collection of richly patinated wooden Buddhist carvings, untouched by national treasure or important cultural property status, yet imbued with the deep character of soot-covered life in private homes.

This collection features approximately 150 objects of common folk worship, primarily from the Edo period to the early Showa era.

From Kamado-gami, Daikoku, Ebisu, and Kojin-sama to sleeping oxen, sacred horses, foxes, silkworm deities, and even maneki-neko—these familiar gods exude a charming, almost whimsical presence rather than an aura of fear.

These folk deities, not crafted by professional Buddhist sculptors, possess a simplicity, vitality, and uniqueness all their own.